Fitness for Kids Who Don't Like Sports

Team sports aren't for everyone. Some kids dislike the stretchy pant-material used in baseball little league. Still others may be a little bit clumsy or have trouble with rule-based games.

Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to stay active that don't require playing a sport. If you're leading a large group of younger kids, try simple, non-competitive games. These will help kids active while fostering a positive, nurturing environment that will help kids who are less self-assured to get active and stay active. Check out this list of fun non-competitive games.

There are also plenty of more solitary sports kids can get involved in. Sports such as swimming and skating offer kids a chance to do something just for them!

Physical fitness offers kids an important outlet for dealing with stress, and helps them stay focused and alert in the classroom. Disliking sports should not be a deterrent to staying active!

Apolo and Yuki Ohno celebrate Father's Day with a special message

Just in time for Father’s Day, eight-time Winter Games medalist and Dancing with the Stars champ Apolo Anton Ohno and his father, Yuki Ohno, were interviewed by radio and TV shows all over the country to talk about the importance of a supportive parent as well as of an active and healthy lifestyle.

As a young teen, Apolo struggled with some of the same peer pressures and unhealthy choices faced by kids today. Due to a strong relationship with his father he was equipped to make healthy decisions and stay on the right track.

The shows will begin airing this weekend so keep an eye and ear out for them as you celebrate Father’s Day. Also, be sure to check out pictures from the event on our Ask, Listen, Learn blog.

Apolo has partnered with The Century Council and its Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don't Mix program to promote its message for kids to “Say ‘YES’ to a healthy lifestyle and ‘NO’ to underage drinking.” Ask, Listen, Learn's website, www.asklistenlearn.com, encourages kids to pledge to make healthy choices. The website features "SuperStars" like Ohno who send positive messages to kids.

The website also provides parents with information on talking to their kids. Yuki and Apolo’s relationship is a great example of how parents have the power to teach their kids to make smart decisions. The research shows that 65% of kids identify their parents as the leading influence in their decision not to drink alcohol. Healthy choices begin in childhood and continue through the teen years so talk to your kids now and talk to them often! They are listening.

United Reads!

One of the reasons why we love working with DC United is their connection to the community. Fans come to RFK Stadium from all over Washington DC to cheer on United, and DC United travels all over Washington DC to promote literacy and healthy lifestyles for children.

On Tuesday we accompanied DC United players Adam Cristman and Kurt Morsink to Tubman Elementary School in Northwest DC. They came to speak to the students about how they achieved their goals through staying active, and how reading has enriched their lives. United Reads challenges kids to read and be active every day, and to record their success. Winning students are awarded a bag full of DC United swag by DC United players themselves, while everyonen else gets two free books! Congratulations to all the winners!

Summertime!

The days are getting warmer, the sun is staying out longer, and kids are days away from finishing another year of school! It's summertime! For kids, the summertime is the best season there is! You know what they say, "No more teachers, no more books..."

What is your kid doing to stay active this summer? Playing outdoors is a great way to stay active. Sports, playing in the pool, exploring the great outdoors, and staying active in general are some of our favorite summer activities. We love playing outdoors but sometimes indoor days are a must with nasty weather. As long as the sun is shining take advantage of it! Put on some sunscreen, have fun, and move, move, move!

Not sure how to keep the kids active or need some fresh ideas? Keep checking back here on the blog or sign up for our RSS feed because we'll be blogging about fun activities for kids all summer long.

The Ask, Listen, Learn Team wishes all kids a happy and active summer vacation!

A parent's role: teens and alcohol

Every parent worries about the person their child will become. Fortunately, every parent has some limited ability to shape that person. This is especially true when it comes to underage drinking.

A recent story from NPR's Morning Edition hammers home the importance that parents play when it comes to teens and alcohol. Not only are underage drinking and binge drinking detrimental to a child’s ability to learn, but they may even create long-term memory problems.

Furthermore, many researchers argue that a parent’s stance on underage drinking has a direct impact not only on the child’s drinking during high school, but college as well.

We urge you to read the article, and to tell your kid to say no to alcohol.