Turn up the heat and fun — indoors — from busting a move to baking healthy.
At-Home Dance Party
A great way to get the entire family moving is to turn up the music. An at-home dance party is easy to pull off. All you need is a playlist with songs that are faster paced, some space for movement, your smartphone and a portable speaker if you have one. Set up a spot in your basement to dance or move the couches and chairs out of the way. Take turns going across the room doing hops on each foot, skipping, galloping and jumping jacks. Dancing gives your child the opportunity to work on their mind-body awareness. Repetition is key in helping them master these movements.
Top off the dance party with a bubble machine. Your children will love watching the bubbles fall to the floor or chasing the bubbles to pop them.
Time-Saver Tip: Download some of your kid’s favorite albums and songs in advance. I suggest fun beats from Disney’s “Encanto” and “Tarzan” for younger children.
Wind Down Together
If you’re looking for a way to calm your body and mind at the end of the day, consider star-gazing. Put blankets on the floor, or get cozy before bedtime and turn on a star projector.
These battery-operated devices offer settings to change the colors and can do double duty as a night light.
Spend time talking about what you see. Have your children identify colors and the objects they see moving across the ceiling. Sometimes I put on music at the same time to give my toddler some background music that will subconsciously help her relax before she falls asleep.
Make Food Together
Little Shoes
If you’re looking for a flavorful low-carb dinner, consider making “Little Shoes.” Zucchini or eggplant boats filled with veggies and meat make a healthy meal to put in your weekly rotation.
Ingredients:
6 small zucchini
½ lb. ground beef or turkey
¼ cup parsley or mint
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 cup finely chopped onions
¾ cup chopped tomato or can of petite diced tomatoes
4 tablespoons olive oil
grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup red wine (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Cut your zucchini in half length-wise, then scoop out the pulp inside. Use what you remove and chop up the remnants. Set aside the pulp for later.
2. Lightly sauté the hollow zucchini in the four tablespoons of olive oil until soft. Remove them from the heat and arrange them in a glass baking dish.
3. In the same pan, mix up your filling by sautéing your onion and garlic until the onions are clear. Add your ground meat and brown. Then add your chopped zucchini pulp, tomatoes, salt and pepper and wine. Simmer until the sauce thickens. Let the filling cool.
4. Use the mixture to fill the zucchini shoes in the baking dish.
5. Once the zucchinis are filled, sprinkle parsley or mint on top and some grated parmesan cheese – add as much cheese as you’d like.
6. Then bake the little shoes for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Fun Face Pizzas
You can make baking fun with pepperoni smiles and olive eyes. Get your little ones involved in the pizza-making process with healthy ingredients. Let your kids spread the sauce on the pizza, sprinkle the cheese and top your pies off with veggie and meat faces. This is a family time activity that’s bound to put a big smile on your child’s face, too.
This is something you can whip up without too much prep if you’re in a rush. For families on the go, I suggest picking up pre-made dough from the grocery store or grabbing an easy crust kit from Pillsbury or Betty Crocker. Set out all the toppings on the counter, and let your mini chefs do some of the work.
Mini Pizza Recipe:
Pre-made pizza crusts or dough
1 jar of pizza sauce
2 oz. (2 packages) of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package of sliced pepperoni
1 can of black olives
1 can of sliced mushrooms
Lindsay McCoy is a Summit County native and a working mom on the go! She’s the anchor of WFMJ Weekend Today on WFMJ-TV, the local NBC affiliate in Youngstown. McCoy is a Kent State University broadcast journalism grad and former cheer and dance coach. When she’s not running around with a camera and a tripod, she’s playing with her 3-year-old daughter. She also enjoys trying new dance classes, weight lifting, reading about fashion, and visiting the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
