Why It’s So Important for Children to Stay Active in Winter

It’s no secret that winters in Minnesota are a serious business, making it particularly challenging to find winter activities for our children. All too often, the harsh temperatures and heavy snow keep children cooped up indoors, limiting their options for staying active in winter. Even though most of us know that physical activity shouldn’t be limited to the warm weather months, it might surprise you to learn just how important it is to keep children active during winter.

 

Why is Physical Activity Important for Children?

Most people would agree that being active has a positive effect on a child’s life, but did you know that regular physical activity offers a significant variety of health benefits for young people? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children between the ages of 6 and 17 should aim for at least an hour or so of vigorous activity each day. Not only has regular exercise been shown to reduce the risk of health issues such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, and heart disease, but research has also shown that active children tend to do better in school.

Additionally, many parents find that when their children spend less time being active, there’s a noticeable increase in behavioral challenges. It could be that because of physical activity, children are instead getting more screen time – which, in some cases, has been linked to behavior problems and other issues. Or, children might simply be acting up because of excess energy, which they haven’t been able to burn off through physical activity.

But in spite of this, less than 25 percent of kids are consistently active for even an hour every day. And for kids that live in cold climates in communities such as Minneapolis, it can especially be difficult during the winter. Luckily, if you’re searching for things to do in Minneapolis in the winter, there are now more options than ever when it comes to fun ways to stay active.

 

How to Keep Children Active During the Winter

Finding ways for kids to be active in the winter season can require a bit more creativity, but it’s certainly not impossible. For some families, spending time outside in the snow is a favorite winter activity. Ice skating, snowboarding, skiing, and even just having a friendly snowball fight are all great ways to combine play and exercise.

But many parents are hoping to find new ways for their children to get active indoors, where they can stay warm and out of the elements. At Zero Gravity Trampoline Park, we’ve created the ultimate indoor venue for winter fun – and there’s no question that your children will be doing plenty of running, jumping, and moving. Whether they want to play a thrilling game of trampoline dodgeball, test their skills on our ninja obstacle course, scale our one-of-a-kind climbing wall, or try any one of our several other indoor attractions, you can bet that your kids will have an incredible time here.

 

Get Your Kids Moving at Zero Gravity Trampoline Park

Zero Gravity Trampoline Park is one of Minnesota’s most popular trampoline parks, offering kids and parents alike a huge indoor venue and a wide variety of exciting activities. From our indoor trampoline courts to attractions like laser tag, dodgeball, and an indoor playground, there’s no shortage of ways to have fun and stay active at the same time. Thanks to our Tot Court, even the youngest family members can have a blast at Zero Gravity.

Learn more about why we’re the best indoor trampoline park in Minneapolis by checking out Zero Gravity Trampoline Park today!

Image Credit: Shutterstock / altanaka