Throughout my entire life I have always been exposed to exercise, sports and the benefits of constantly moving.
When I entered college, my sisters kept saying “don’t gain the freshman fifteen.”

To them, it was just a taunt; but to me, it was serious!

 
The freshman fifteen is every college student’s fear and many take the time and effort to exercise more than normal.
But now there are more than just health benefits.

 
At Saginaw State University, 266 students were tracked based off exercise habits and grades. The study showed that students who vigorously exercised had higher grade point averages.
In this study, students who had a constant vigorous workout seven days a week averaged 0.4 points higher than those that did not exercise.

 
While the study focused on older kids, it is a great idea to exercise with your little ones as well. Instead of going to the gym there are many things you can do right in your own home.
For example, dancing-many don’t think its exercise, but it is! Put on your child’s favorite songs, and have fun with the beat. Get the entire family to participate by having each person come up with one or two moves and then put them all together for a whole routine!

 
In the morning, some easy things to do are a few yoga moves. Not only does yoga fuel the mind, but it gives your kids a great stretch after a good nights sleep.
Try these moves at home and let us know what your favorite ways to exercise and move with your kids are.

 
Sunrise/Sunset
In yoga, we move as we breathe. For example, we stretch on the inhale and relax on the exhale. The Sunrise/Sunset pose is a good all-over warm-up for any activity.
1. Stand up tall. Take three to five deep breaths.
2. On the next inhale, lift your arms above your head. Press your legs and feet down toward the ground and stretch your spine and waist toward the sky.
3. As you exhale, bend the upper half of your body at your waist down toward your legs, as if you were diving into a pool. Bend your knees a little at first, to avoid straining your back. Bend as far as you comfortably can. As you inhale again, open your arms wide and stand up slowly, stretching your arms to the sky.
 4. Repeat this six to 10 times. As you inhale and stretch, think of the glowing, rising sun. As you exhale and fold, think of the setting sun.

By Victoria, KIWI Editorial Intern

Children who engage in hand-clapping songs show an increase in motor and cognitive skills, according to a recent study about of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

The study took place over 10 weeks. It found that kiddies in first through third grade who participated in hand-clapping songs during recess had neater handwriting and better writing and spelling skills.

Up until about age 7, kids are frequently exposed to hand-clapping songs. Once they hit age 10, their interest turns towards sports. Researchers are hoping that hand-clapping songs will be integrated into music programs for kids ages 6-10, as this is an imperative stage for cognitive and motor development.

Apparently, hand-clapping is good for adults too. College students reported feeling more focused, relaxed and in a better mood after partaking in such games (mostly because the action reminds them of childhood).

How about a round of applause?

-Nicole McGovern

If you tried our suggestion for walking meditation that’s great, we hope it went well! If walking meditation however was not your child’s, partner’s or your cup of tea, no worries; there are many ways to meditate. Another great option is guided meditation. The best part is it allows you to be creative in what you choose to guide you and your family. There are a number of different options, one of which I’ll mention in a moment my favorite of which I’ll mention in a moment.  If you do go the traditional route and use a guided meditation CD, there is certainly one that will fit your family’s relaxation needs!

All you and your child will need for guided meditation is a comfortable and quiet place to sit or lie down, a blanket and/or pillow, and the meditation CD of your choice. To prepare your family for your meditation session, allow them to participate in deciding which meditation tape you use. Whether you take a visit to your local bookstore or do some online shopping, your child will be more eager to participate if they feel that there little voices were heard.

My favorite option for a guided meditation CD is to choose the audio version of your favorite children’s book, fairytale or folklore. If you don’t already have one in your home, two of my personal favorites are The Velveteen Rabbit and Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates.

Regardless of what you use to guide you with your meditation, make sure you choose a room that is quiet and where you will not be disturbed. Dim or turn the lights off for a greener meditation and enjoy this special, and most importantly quiet, time with your family.

– Sara, KIWI intern and mindfully meditating

The official Earth Day is fast approaching and even if you believe as we do, that the Earth should be celebrated every day, there’s nothing wrong with stopping on one particular day and considering our relationship with the planet. And what better activity on Earth Day, than to open our children’s hearts to the environment by settling in at the library or at home with a beautifully written and illustrated book. Here are some of our favorites for various ages:

Young children

• The Tree by Dana Lyons

• The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

• Almost Gone: The World’s Rarest Animals by Steve Jenkins

Tweens

• A Hot Planet Needs Cool Kids by Julie Hall

• Make It! by  Jane Bull

• Gaia Girls (series) by Lee Welles

Teens

• Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life by Linda Silversten

• The New 50 Simple Things You Can Do To Save The Earth by Sophie Javna

• What Do You Stand For? For Teens: A Guide to Building Character by Barbara Lewis

Our top pick?

• An Environmental Guide from A to Z by Tim Magner. Right now, you can get it at 25% off the cover price by entering the code, “celebrate” during checkout.

-Lynn and Corey Colwell, mother-daughter duo and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family.

Richard Louv, co-founder and chairman of the Children & Nature Network and recipient of the 2008 Audobon Medal, discusses the need for children to make connections with the natural world in his new book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder (Algonquin Books: Chapel Hill, NC).  I’m pretty confident that if you read the introduction below, you’ll be hooked.  To learn more, check out our interview with Mr. Louv at Kiwi Community. You can also enter our contest to win a copy!

Introduction to Last Child in the Woods

One evening when my boys were younger, Matthew, then ten, looked at me from across a restaurant table and said quite seriously, “Dad, how come it was more fun when you were a kid?”

I asked what he meant.

“Well, you’re always talking about your woods and tree houses, and how you used to ride that horse down near the swamp.”

At first, I thought he was irritated with me. I had, in fact, been telling him what it was like to use string and pieces of liver to catch crawdads in a creek, something I’d be hard-pressed to find a child doing these days. Like many parents, I do tend to romanticize my own childhood—and, I fear, too readily discount my children’s experiences of play and adventure. But my son was serious; he felt he had missed out on something important.

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