Summer Time = Family Time!

Summer is a great time to reconnect with your family. You can break from the homework nights, unplug from the chilly movie days & get out and PLAY! product_64366_1_orig

Have you taken advantage of the local family-friendly events? Do you ever have family tennis night or go on family bike rides? How about setting up the sprinkler & taking turns running though?

This list offers ten great ideas to stay active with your family. Try even one of these per week and you’ll be on your way to enjoying summer more, building bonds within your family, and being healthy & active together.

(List taken from fitness.mercola.com)

10 Top Ways to Stay Active as a Family

Going to the gym is fine for adults, but when kids are involved you’ve got to get more creative… and more fun!

1. Go on a Scavenger Hunt

Make a list of challenges (find an orange leaf, get a neighbor’s signature, snap a photo of a playground, etc.), split your family into teams, set a time limit and then head off (on foot or on bike) to see who can complete the most items.

2. Have a Water Day

Tossing water balloons, splashing in a kiddie pool and running through a sprinkler in the backyard are fun ways to stay cool and active on a hot summer day.

3. Set ‘Mileage’ Goals for the Weekend

Decide as a family how many steps, or how many miles, you want to travel over the weekend, then have fun trying to reach the goal. You can use pedometers to measure steps taken while running errands, going on hikes, playing tag and more, and can challenge the family to increase your goal each weekend.

4. Wash the Car

Washing the car uses key core muscles and can be a fun, bonding experience, especially if you take time to cool off with the hose, too.

5. Family Olympics

Get together with a group of families and compete in events like hula-hoops, 50-yard dash, relay race, basketball shoot, and an obstacle course. You can even make it an annual event!

6. Family Fitness Classes

If you like a more structured routine, try a fitness class designed for families, like stroller workouts, mom/dad and baby workouts or family yoga.

7. Do Chores Together

Vacuuming, washing windows, weeding the garden, raking leaves and even doing laundry work your muscles and burn calories while teaching your kids the value of responsibility. Make chores fun by setting a time limit and turning up the music while you work together as a family.

8. Plan Seasonal Outdoor Activities

Swimming, biking, canoeing and hiking are great in the summer, while sledding, ice skating, building a snowman or skiing are fun – and great for your fitness goals – in the winter.

9. Play Together

Tag, hide-and-go-seek, hop scotch, doing cartwheels and dancing in the kitchen are so much fun you won’t even realize it’s exercise in disguise.

10. Try Out Family Sports

A backyard game of softball or volleyball, shooting hoops or taking a trip to a golf course give you quality time as a family while staying active.

 

School’s Out for Summer!

Yes! School is finally out!

Wait. Now what?

We all know the feeling. So much excitement goes into the last weeks of school; countdowns are on and everyone is ready for summer vacation. But what happens three days later isn’t quite as exciting. “I’m bored.” Or worse yet: they’re not bored because they sleep until 2, grab the Cheetos and hang out in front of the TV for the day.

Summer vacation can be fun, but it takes some planning on your part as the parents, babysitters, or older siblings. We’ve put together some ideas on how to keep the kids moving, enjoy the warm weather, prevent the summer boredom, and enjoy all that Wausau has to offer. Check out these recommendations:

Wausau City Playgrounds: Wausau offers a morning playground program for children going into K-5th grade. This supervised time includes crafts, games, playground time & other organized activities. See their FLIER and register your children for the 8 week program!

If your children prefer water over wood chips, they may be interested in Wausau’s pools or even swim lessons. It’s only $1 to swim during open swim times (1-7:30pm), or you can decide to get an individual or family memberships for the summer. City pools offer swim lessons too, starting at 18 months. You can look at available lesson times & register HERE.

Soccer players in the house would love to be a part of Challenger’s British Soccer instructional soccer camp.  These week long camps take place at Brockmeyer Park and are lead by coaches that have been recruited from Great Britian. Details are HERE.

Sport lovers might also like to enroll in tennis lessons at Oak Island Park courts. Depending on age, they’ll have either one or three hour lessons which allow time for instruction, practice, and game playing. You’ll sign your children up by experience level, so their lesson will be tailored to their ability. Get more information HERE, then sign them up!

Kids & teens out of school for the summer might also be interested in the Oak Island Skateboard Park, beaches, and city parks throughout the area (a complete list can be made by clicking HERE and HERE). What about yard games, disc golf, frisbee, or water toys?

As with any outdoor activity, safety is going to be key. Consider sun safety (sunscreen, sunglasses & sun hats) and bike safety (helmets, lights & awareness of road rules) especially.

The City Pages’ Summer Fun book will include all the special events & local happenings going on this summer. Everyone should pick up a copy and have it on hand; it’d be a shame to miss out on all the restaurants, shows, concerts, and events Wausau has to offer.

We have nearly everything you’d need to enjoy the above summer activities, including swimsuits for swim lessons or looking your best at the beach, caps, goggles, and accessories; tennis racquets, shoes, and apparel; and toys and accessories to keep everyone busy on summer days. A stop in at Shep’s will have you inspired and equipped to make the most of the summer months before us and help you be sure you’re playing well.

 

 

Summer Fun Checklist

What are your plans for the 4th of July? Ready to enjoy a day of grilling out, playing on the beach, hitting the water and get up on those waterskis? If you’re celebrating in any of these ways, take note. Below is a gear checklist and a little eye candy. Shep’s has everything on the list. (The only other stop you’ll have to make? Grocery store for hot dogs!)

If you’re spending any time outside, you’ll definitely need these things:
Sunscreens (Banana scented….. 🙂 )
Sunglasses (Oakley, Native, Chili’s)
Bug Spray
CamelBak bottle

Packing a Picnic?
Toys; foam guns, hacky sacks, paddle ball
Frisbees & Discs
Sun Dress & Accessories (PrAna & Patagonia have looks you’ll love.)
Button Ups & Shorts (Guys- same thing for you!)
Flip Flops (Ever worn Teva’s? Now’s the time.)
Bag from Sherpani


Going Boating?
Tube (One rider or four? That’ll help you choose the tube!)
Wakeboard/Waterski/Kneeboard/Wake Surf/Wakeskate (Hyperlite & H.O. take the cake)
Ropes
Vest (Nylon or Neoprene available for the family)
Towel
Swim Suit (Kids, men’s & women’s suits in stock)

Hitting the Beach?
Swim Suit (Choose your cut & your pattern from Patagonia or PrAna!)
Sun Hat
Sunglasses (patterned, sporty, and everything in-between.)
Towel
Sunscreen & Aloe (Did we mention how great SunBum smells??)

Love to Hike?
Backpacks (from The North Face, Burton, Dakine)
Salomon Trail Shoes
Smartwool Socks (they’re a necessity.)
CamelBak bottles
Bug Spray (yes, more!)
Headlamp

This is just a summary. You’ll find accessories and extras that will help make your summer outings the very best they can be. Stop in at Shep’s and let our experts set you up with the gear you need.