Your Family Can Run for the Roses

When I think of the month of May, I think Derby! Let's run for the roses in May! I would like to challenge you at home to do this fun, creative activity with your family.

Start by collecting as many popsicle sticks in your house as you can find. On the sticks, write fun, creative horse names. Next, print out a picture of red roses or cut some of your own out of red construction paper. Place all the popsicle sticks in a jar. Every day, get the family together and pull one stick out of the jar. That stick will be the name of your horse for that day’s race!

Find an area where you will have plenty of room and determine a start and a finish point. This can be a hallway in your house or an area in your backyard.  Tape the picture or the construction cut-outs of the red roses and place at the finish line. You will act as the horse and run to the roses!

Let the races begin!! Each member needs to place their stick on the ground and line up next to each other.

RACE #1 Line up shoulder to shoulder. The oldest member of the family shouts, "Ready, Set, Go!" Everyone hops as fast as they can to the end of the finish line where the roses are placed. The winner gets to place their popsicle stick in the Winner's Circle. (Create a fun area where the popsicle stick can be displayed!)

RACE# 2 Line up, and this time the youngest member of the family shouts, "Ready, Set, Go!" Everybody gallops to the end of the finish line!  The winner then places their popsicle stick in the Winner's Circle.

RACE# 3 Line up again, and everyone shouts, "Ready, Set, Go!" Run as fast as you can to the finish line. The winner then places their popsicle stick in the Winner's Circle.

You can continue to do more activities until everyone in the family is a winner! Some other cardio suggestions are skipping, side shuffling, and jogging.  Try this activity daily and race to the roses every day in the month of May!

It's now time to grab a healthy "horse" snack after the race! Horses love to eat carrots, apples, and nuts. So grab these healthy snacks after your races. Cool down with a tall glass of ice cold water.

Cardio exercise is important to do every day for 30 minutes. It keeps your heart healthy! So, Hooray for May...get out and play!

Alison Cardoza, B.S. Exercise Science and Sports Medicine and ACSM Certified Personal Trainer at Milestone Wellness Center.

Family: Joh