Make Family Time Fun Time

Adults and kids alike love watching the incredible athleticism of Olympic figure skaters. Beneath the glamor, grace, and skill, though, are real people living real lives – mothers and fathers who are balancing the demands of their careers with the desire to spend quality time with their families.

Your family can enter to win a chance to see – and meet – these skaters when you submit a response to our weekly scavenger hunt question as part of the Musselman’s Celebrate Family Sweepstakes. The grand prize is a trip for a family of four to the Musselman’s Family Skating Tribute, where US Champion and Olympic skaters will take to the ice not only as the spectacular skaters they are, but also as real-life parents performing with their children. Yes, their kids will glide (or maybe fumble or fall) on the ice with them, enjoying a day of one-on-one bonding with mom or dad.

Why this unique twist on ice skating?  Put simply, ice skating is fun for the whole family, not just the kids (and not just the adults). Celebrating and spending time together ice skating is a great way for families to stay healthy and fit, while having fun and bonding. Once the flakes start to fall, take the kids out for a slide across the ice, but until then, your family can do all kinds of other activities to grow closer and create lasting memories. Here are a few to consider that keep you both healthy and happy.

Star Gazing

Getting outdoors just as night falls can be calming for everyone. One evening soon, spend ten minutes as a family staring up at the stars. What do you notice? Can you spot a constellation or planet? How about a shooting star? Browse a book on the sky together, or challenge each family member to investigate – and report back on what exactly you see.

Activate

Chunking physical activity into 10-minute increments is just as good as that hour-long power workout at the gym. As a family, plan ways to integrate short bursts of activity into your daily routine. Will you log 50 jumping jacks as you roll out of bed, or drop and do 20 push ups upon your daughter’s command? Think outside the box to fit in your family’s exercise – and keep it fun.

Cook it Up Right

Brainstorm with your family ways to make your mealtime (and snack time) not only tastier but also healthier. How can you cut down on sugar and fat? What new wholesome foods can you try? Consider swapping cooking oils for apple sauce or baking a loaf of this delicious apple bran bread. Then sit down and savor it all as a family.

Game Night

Will you battle it out in a relay race, a game of Charades, a round of Ghost in the Graveyard, or maybe, even, good ’ole fashioned Spades? Whatever the case, make family game night fun and lively. And devote one night a week (or at least month) to it. Kids of all ages (from kindergarteners to teens) will dig it.

Musselman’s will donate $1 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation each time you submit a response to our weekly scavenger hunt question. Start your scavenger hunt today, and learn more about the Musselman’s Celebrate Family Sweepstakes.