Winter is here and with the season comes the inevitable: rain, snow and cold. Not to mention, your kids may think it's the best excuse ever to plop down in front of the TV to play video games. But don't let the drizzly, cold weather derail your family's physical fitness plan. There are plenty of indoor options inside and outside of the house to keep your family active during the winter months.

Staying fit is important for children, both physically and mentally. Many studies have shown a link between physical activity and academic achievement. An inactive lifestyle can also lead to health problems, such as high blood pressure and joint problems.

Create an Active Zone If you have a "no running in the house" rule, you may have to amend that for the winter months. Try setting aside an area free of breakable and dangerous objects where kids can move around easily. If this is a change in house policy, explain that while the old rules still apply in most of the house, for the sake of everyone's physical health, you are designating one area where they are free to run, jump and roll around.

Organize Indoor Activities Once an area is cleared of sharp corners, keep your kids active and busy by organizing a range of indoor activities. Turn the music up for a game of musical chairs or make up different dance routines. There are plenty of individual games and activities that will keep their heart rate up, such as playing freeze tag or twirling hula hoops. If you have forgotten the rules, or want some new ideas, check out Games Kids Play.

Make room in front of the television and stick in an exercise video from the library or video store, such as a dance or yoga video. Read parent reviews of popular kid's videos at Video Fitness.

Get the Added Benefit of Classes Sign up for parent and child fitness classes that the whole family can enjoy. Martial arts classes, such as karate or aikido, can help build self-discipline and self-confidence. Yoga can enhance flexibility and concentration. Many postures are named and modeled after animals, which keeps the poses playful and fun for children.

Outings to Indoor Facilities Leave the house and venture to an indoor facility. Find an indoor pool in your area to swim laps, or play a pool game such as Marco polo (see the rules at Marco Polo) or water tag. Make sure to check the pool's schedule to find out when the pool is open for swimming laps and when it is open for free swim. Bundle up and go to an indoor ice skating rink or roller rink.

Active Games You don't need too much room to play indoor games and your family will be having so much fun they won't even realize they are exercising. Rose Kennedy, author of The Family Fitness Fun Book: Healthy Living for the Whole Family (Healthy Living Books, 2005) has gathered an array of indoor games in her book. Here are a few of her favorites:

Sardines A variation on hide and seek. This game can be played inside or out. One person hides. Everyone else tries to find him. When you find the person who is hiding, you hide with him. The last one left looking gets to be the one to hide in the next round of the game.

Sneaky Patty One person sits blindfolded with her back to the group. A teddy bear or other object is placed behind her or under her chair. Play some music while members of the group, one by one, on their hands and knees, try to sneak up and "steal" the bear. The blindfolded person, while remaining seated, tries to tag the person who is stealing the bear. If he is successful, that person switches places and puts the blindfold on. The music stops and the blindfolded one tries to guess who stole the bear.

A variation on musical chairs without the music Line up one fewer chair than there are players. One person is the "caller" (a good role for a teenager). The caller says something like, "I am especially grateful for people with blue eyes." Then all the people with blue eyes have to move while the caller takes one chair away. The person left standing is out. The next round the caller might say, "I am especially grateful for people wearing shoes that tie," and those people move. The last person left standing gets to be the caller in the next round of the game.

December 2005