Though fast food is often blamed for obesity and parents are urged to keep their children out of the drive through and to make home cooking a priority, there's still something to be said for a fast food meal. In fact, teaching children to eat in moderation at a fast food restaurant, and to view fast food as a special treat instead of a daily indulgence, has its benefits. Making a family outing to a local fast food establishment once in a while can be a learning experience for children, as well as a fun treat.

Select fast food restaurants carefully.
Select the fast food establishment you want to share with your children carefully. Not only should you consider what you have nearby, but think about their menu options and the layout of the restaurant, too. A fast food restaurant with a playplace is a great idea, and allows kids to burn off some energy. Some restaurants offer milk, apple and carrot sticks, grilled chicken instead of fried, or a variety of other healthier choices for both parents and children. Select a fast food restaurant that meets these requirements for a healthier and more enjoyable experience. Pick a restaurant within walking distance, throw on your running shoes, and make the whole evening healthier.

Find a reason to visit a fast food establishment.
After a first dentist's visit, after putting on a brave face for shots at the doctor's office, to celebrate the first day of summer vacation, or to break up a long car trip are all great opportunities to make a trip to a fast food restaurant. These don't necessarily set up fast food as a special treat, but they don't make it a common, everyday occurrence, either. Don't make a big deal out of a fast food restaurant, but show your children that there are much better ways to eat through your own activities.

Make positive meal choices.
The occasional Happy Meal is hardly going to make children obese or raise their cholesterol. But it can't hurt to make good choices while you are at a fast food restaurant, too. Select milk for the kids, instead of soda. Let your children see you choose a salad instead of a triple cheeseburger. Indulge in french fries if they're your favorite, but order a small instead of a large. Making positive choices for yourself and your children when you do choose a fast food restaurant shows them that it's okay to eat healthy when you are out.

Making a family outing to a local fast food establishment once in a while can be a learning experience for children, as well as a fun treat. Showing your children how to indulge in fast food the right way is a valuable lesson.

The minute the television is turned on, the whining begins from my two daughters. "Mommy, can I have a snack?" and "Mommy, I'm hungry!" are two household standards. Even if my children have just finished a big meal, they insist that they're hungry again the minute the television is turned on. Without a doubt, my family and I have fallen prey to the television snack food habit. There's nothing wrong with a little TV time, but don't let your kids become couch potatoes at the same time!

Have Rules About Food in the Living Room
One of the easiest ways to keep kids from snacking away while they watch a television show is to have specific rules that you enforce concerning when and where they may snack. Children who know they can only eat at the kitchen table, for instance, won't stuff their faces mindlessly while they watch a show.

Snack First, Show Later
School age children might be content to get home from school and decompress in front of the television with a candy bar or a cupcake. Instead, don't allow snack time and down time to become one and the same. Serve snacks right when children return home from school, do homework and then allow kids to watch a show before dinner. Keeping a schedule like this discourages snacking out of habit.

Watch Interactive Television Shows with Your Children
Watch television shows with your children and select quality programming that asks everyone to get involved. Who can eat while you're shouting out answers to Diego's questions or trying to find the super letters on Super Why? Try Kung Fu Panda or another film that can entertain the entire family. Keeping children active, even while watching television, can keep them from the television snack habit.

Don't let the television snack food habit take over your home - by enforcing rules, schedules and keeping television watching interactive, you can help your children from snacking out of habit while they watch their favorite shows.

Keeping kids exercising is often as simple as finding a fun, energetic sport or activity that they enjoy. One sport our family enjoys that I don't see enough of anymore is tetherball. Remember that game from the schoolyard where you would take turns trying to punch a ball on a string around a pole? That's tetherball.

To enjoy tetherball, you don't have to hunt down the nearest gym or school who happens to have access to it. All you need to do is either buy your own or make your own. It's not as hard as it may sound. The local sporting goods store will generally have an easy-to-set-up, low-cost, low-grade tetherball game, even including the pole. The instructions will come with the set.

If you want a more sturdy tetherball game, try making your own. It's very simple and depending on the ages and abilities of the kids, they may even be able to help. All you need is a small bag of concrete mix, an old tire with the rim still inside, a cheap tarp, a metal pole, a bolt with a hook, a drill with a metal bit, and a pre-strung tetherball. First, drill a hole the correct size for the bolt into the top of the pole. Next, screw in the bolt. Mix the concrete thickly. Set the tire on top of the tarp.

Now place the mixed concrete inside of the tire. Fill the entire hole. Place the pole in the center of the mixed concrete inside the tire. Smooth out the concrete. The pole should stand straight up and if the concrete is thick enough, it will not move. Allow it to dry completely. There's your tetherball pole. Now, just hang your tetherball and you and the kids can start to play.

Tetherball rules are very simple. Player one is the server. To serve the ball, much like volleyball, set it atop the non-dominant hand and punch it with the other. The goal is to get the tetherball to wrap completely around the pole without interruption from the other player. Each player must take turns hitting the ball in opposite directions until one player wraps it around the pole.

Whomever wraps it around the pole first is the winner. Players may not grab the string or hold onto the ball. Either is an automatic "out". If this occurs, the next player will come in and a new game will begin. Players may only punch or hit the ball.

When people hear the word chicken, they immediately get bored. Instead of giving up on this monotonous meat, why not rethink your recipes?

When people hear the word chicken, they immediately get bored. Chicken has been used in the same recipes so many times that it's no wonder your taste buds yawn at the word. On the other hand, we all know how healthy it can be. Chicken breasts are low in fat, yet high in protein. Plus, kids love them. Instead of giving up on this monotonous meat, why not rethink your recipes? Any recipe can seem new again if you do a little tweaking here and there.

Chicken salad is a classic dish and so are buffalo wings. Why not combine the two and create a dish your kids will love?

Buffalo Chicken Salad
Serves 4

• 1 pound of boneless chicken breasts, baked and cubed
• ½ cup buffalo sauce
• 2 cup of celery, sliced
• 1 cup of fat-free ranch dressing
• 4 Kaiser rolls, toasted

1. Toss the chicken with the buffalo sauce and bake at 350 degrees until the sauce adheres to the meat.
2. Allow the chicken to cool and then chop into smaller pieces.
3. Combine the chicken, celery, and ranch dressing.
4. Serve on toasted Kaiser rolls with a side of baked potato chips.

Kids love chicken strips. Unfortunately, many versions are often deep fried, but not this one. These baked strips are perfect for dunking and as a topper for Caesar salad.

Chicken Parmesan Strips
Serves 4

• 1 pound of chicken tenders
• 2 egg whites, beaten
• 2 cups of Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated

1. Combine the seasoned bread crumbs and parmesan cheese in a shallow dish.
2. Dip the chicken tenders into the beaten egg whites and then into the seasoned bread crumbs.
3. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray and place the tenders at least ½ inch apart.
4. Spray the chicken tenders with cooking spray and bake in a 425 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the juices run clear.
5. Serve with heated marinara sauce.

Remember, chicken doesn't have to be boring to be healthy. You just need to rethink the ways you prepare it.

If you have any recipes ideas, improvements, suggestions, please comment below and let us know! Let us in on some of your secret recipes!

Who says a race is simply running from start to finish? Not this mom. I like to mix it up a bit. Sometimes I even turn it into an extreme sport for kids, increasing their physical benefit from the fun exercise. To do that, I simply add something extra to the race. Since kids are like animals, that is one of the themes I use often. I also have been known to throw in plenty of other fun things to make the race extreme.

Most kids seem to have a natural love for racing. The reason likely varies from kid to kid. For some it could be the thrill of the competition. Yet, to others, it may be the adrenaline rush or the force of the movement. When choosing extracurricular physical activities for my kids, racing is an activity that gets chosen often. It doesn't have to be the same every time either. In fact, racing is very versatile, especially in what I call extreme racing for kids.

Let's Get Hopping!

In this extreme race option, kids must hop just like a kangaroo all the way to the finish line. Kids caught not hopping are eliminated until the next round. The jumping motion helps to increase the heart rate and also exercises those limbs. So, get those kids hopping to the finish line.

Climb The Ladder

To have kids do this extreme race, I have them move their hands and feet up and down from start to finish, resembling climbing a ladder. This must be done quickly to cause a running motion. Kids like this one because it looks pretty silly.

Zig Zag Zip

In Zig Zag Zip, the kids will jump from side to side in a zig zag motion toward the finish line. This extreme race can get pretty fun. Sometimes the kids cross paths by accident. There is also a lot of laughter!

Just go!

This extreme race option allows the kids to each pick their own method of extreme racing. It's interesting to see what the kids come up with. Sometimes they pick from things we've done before. Other times, they get very creative.

Serve classic drive-in food that's actually healthy.

Everyone remembers the greasy hamburgers they used to get at the drive-in. They were something your grandparents shared with your parents and then your parents shared with you. Unfortunately, times have changed and sharing this meal with your kids seems out of the question. The fat and calories are simply too much for a society where juvenile diabetes affects so many children. Luckily, there is a way to re-create those classic hamburgers.

One of the most classic hamburgers is the pizza burger. What kid wouldn't love pizza sauce and melted mozzarella cheese on their hamburger? This healthy meal is sure to be a big hit.

Low-Fat Italian Pizza Burgers
Serve 4

• 1 pound of 93-percent lean ground beef
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, finely minced
• 1 cup of pizza sauce
• 4 slices of part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 4 whole wheat hamburger buns

1. Mix the ground beef, onion and garlic together in a medium-sized bowl and shape into patties.
2. Cook the patties in a large skillet over medium heat until cooked through.
3. Top each patty with ¼ cup sauce and one slice of cheese.
4. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and cook until the cheese has melted.
5. Serve on whole wheat buns with baked French fries.

Of course, what drive-in would be complete without a chili cheeseburger? It's still a popular favorite, but it's also a heart attack on a plate. Thankfully, it doesn't have to be. You can easily turn this into a healthy meal.

Veggie Chili Cheeseburgers
Serves 4

• 1 pound of 93-percent lean ground beef
• ½ tablespoon chili power
• ¼ tablespoon cumin
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 cups of low-calorie vegetarian chili
• 4 slices of cheddar cheese
• 4 whole wheat hamburger buns

1. Mix the ground beef, chili powder, cumin, onion and jalapeno in a bowl and shape into patties.
2. Cook in a skillet over medium heat until the patties are cooked through.
3. Once cooked, place each patty on a bottom bun and top with a ½ cup of the heated chili. Add a slice of cheese, any preferred condiments and the top part of the bun.
4. Serve with baked French fries.

If you have any recipes ideas, improvements, suggestions, please comment below and let us know! Let us in on some of your secret recipes!

Most children love to jump, climb, run, and crawl. Combining them all together can make for a fun experience, especially when adding even more physical challenges. What I am I talking about? I'm discussing building obstacle courses for kids.

Most children love to jump, climb, run and crawl. Combining them all together can make for a fun experience, especially when adding even more physical challenges. What am I talking about? I'm discussing building obstacle courses for kids. Many obstacle courses are fairly easy to make and can provide a great deal of entertainment and exercise.

Getting some children to exercise can be a chore for parents and physical education teachers, but it doesn't have to be. Combining exercise with fun is the best way to get those kids in shape. Who says exercise has to feel like a chore? In fact, any good exercise routine is one that is enjoyable. Enjoyment brings the likelihood of repeating the exercise often.

Designing and building obstacle courses may sound hard, but it really isn't (unless you're talking about large gym equipment, which isn't always necessary). Instead, gathering a few fun items and combining them to make a fun obstacle course is a more practical way of doing this. This physical activity can be done at home or at school. A little bonus to this activity is that the parent or teacher who sets up the activity will get a small workout in doing so. Let the kids help and they get even more physical movement added to their day.

Some things I would suggest for building obstacle courses for kids are tires (without the rims), cones, hula hoop stations, jump rope stations, a basketball hoop, hopscotch and maybe some hurdles. The items can vary, depending on ages and fitness level, but the basic idea is to create a variety of activities that the children have to perform in a row in order to complete the obstacle course.

Smaller kids could simply run back and forth through cones. The next age group could do the cones, as well as the tires, and perhaps the hula hoops or jump ropes. Basically, as the age group grows, so should the intensity of the obstacle courses you are building. Make sure to keep in mind not only the age group, but the physical fitness levels of the kids.

As with any physical activity, it is important to follow safety rules when utilizing these obstacle courses. Other than that, the only warning I would give is to parents and teachers: be careful, because kids might request this one often.

Physical fitness is an important aspect of a child's life. To get the most benefit, a variety of physical activities should be utilized. One activity kids seem to enjoy a lot is dancing. When they are dancing, kids often don't realize they are also exercising.

Physical fitness is an important aspect of a child's life. Keeping fit will not only help a child control weight issues, but it is also beneficial to all areas of the body. Adding a good exercise routine to a child's daily activities is a must. To get the most benefit, a variety of physical activities should be utilized. One activity kids seem to enjoy a lot is dancing. When they are dancing, kids often don't realize they are also exercising.

Dance can be done at home or at school as a group. Parents can also hire an instructor or enroll children in dance classes. In addition, there are many dance videos to help teach the kids how to do various dances. Many schools are actively using dance as part of the regular physical education curriculum. Because dance is so versatile, different movements and styles can be used to form a good workout routine.

While schools may do this in a more organized fashion, parents have the unique opportunity of simply slipping in exercise through dance at opportune times. For instance, when we are doing chores, I like to play music. Kids can not only get exercise from the chores, but if parents allow them to dance as well, they will get an even better workout. My kids love this activity and forget they are exercising.

Another fun way to add in dance is by doing a weekly talent competition between family and friends. Each person or team should get a chance to dance at least once. This can also be done at school, perhaps in a more organized way. In fact, I have seen a few elementary schools hold talent competitions involving dance. These seem to go over pretty well with many of the kids I've observed during one of these events.

The main point when working with kids on physical fitness is to keep it fun and exciting. After too much repetitiveness, routines can get a little boring. By mixing up dance styles and movements, as well as being sure to seize the appropriate moments, your child will be having more fun while working out in no time.

To keep kids active and promote physical fitness, strive to provide more than just an exercise routine. You can make it fun at the same time. When you transform exercise into an active game, a child will show far more interest.

To keep kids active and promote physical fitness, strive to provide more than just an exercise routine. You can make it fun at the same time. When you transform exercise into an active game, a child will show far more interest. Because of the element of fun, kids may not even realize, or care at all, that they are participating in a form of exercise.

One fun, active game to play is what I like to call "Spray Bottle Relay Race". It's a game I have always played with my own kids, but have also recently seen used in schools as part of Field Day or just as a fun activity. In Spray Bottle Relay Race, the kids will work pretty much the entire body. Spray Bottle Relay Race should be played in an open field, such as one at a school or park. It's a team game, but can be easily modified for fewer kids. This game is fun for school-aged children of all ages.

The only materials needed to play this active game are batons and large spray bottles. The spray bottles should be ones that can spray a straight line of water, not a mist. There should be 2 batons and 1 spray bottle for each team. Setting up the game is fairly simple. First, determine how many teams there will be. Then, split up the kids accordingly. Determine where the start and finish lines will be and place a baton at each to mark the spot. Alternatively, a chalk line can be drawn to mark the start and finish lines as well. Have the kids line up behind both the start and finish lines. Give each of the kids located at the start lines a spray bottle, filled with water and ready to spray.

To start the game, blow a whistle or shout "Go!" The children who are first at each of the start lines will race to the finish lines and then squirt their next teammate with the spray bottle (no face shots allowed) and hand off the spray bottle. Then, that child will run to the start line and spray the next teammate and hand off the bottle. This will continue until all of the children have run at least once. Ideally, each child should run more than once. Splitting the children into small teams can help make that happen.

This active exercise will give the kids a great cardio workout, as well as help them cool off on a hot day. It works the entire body while running and also increases the heart rate. The action of squirting the water also gives an added bonus of using the smaller muscles in the arms, hands, and wrist. Not every kid likes every activity, but I have to add that no child I have seen play this one has ever complained. It makes for a great last minute opportunity for getting kids active, as the supplies are ones that may already be on hand.

Daily nature walks can be a fun and educational way to get that exercise in for the kids. Children naturally enjoy exploring. Whether it is for a physical education class of 30, or a parent with a couple kids in tow, this is a great opportunity to get those kids moving.

Daily nature walks can be a fun and educational way to get that exercise in for the kids. Children naturally enjoy exploring. Whether it is for a physical education class of 30, or a parent with a couple kids in tow, this is a great opportunity to get those kids moving. It can be supplemented as part of the daily routine or even used by itself. Either option will bring healthy benefits.

Many schools are using nature walks as a combination between a science lesson and physical education, which I think is a great idea. We do something similar at home. Some schools have great areas to explore, such as ponds, trees, or grassy fields. For schools that don't have much nature, this can be done in a neighborhood walk or a walk to the neighborhood park. Nature is all around us and is easily found.

Walking is great exercise for the heart, as well as the legs, arms, and abdominals. It is often a total body workout. To add even more exercise and fun to the walk, teachers and parents can instruct the children to move like certain animals. For instance, the children can put their arms together, swaying them back and forth like an elephant trunk. They can even jump like kangaroos, hop like frogs, "fly" like birds, or sprint like cheetahs.

Another fun way to incorporate exercise into a nature walk is by having children climb a tree. Be sure to keep safety in mind, of course. Also, if this is a class field trip, be sure all parents are aware of any activities to be done, in case of any health issues. From the tree, children can either look for creatures that may be in or on the tree or they can look down from the tree to see if they can observe anything they couldn't plainly see from the ground.

Before taking my children on a nature walk, I like to be sure we have certain supplies with us and all the children have on their sunscreen. Water is one of the most important things to bring along. Bringing along plenty for each person helps to ensure no one gets dehydrated or exhausted from the heat. One liter of water per person is probably a good amount to bring on a nature walk that lasts up to an hour.

We also like to bring along a spray bottle filled with water. We keep it on the mister setting. The spray mist helps keep everyone cool, especially if it's a hot day. Just be careful not to keep it too cold because if a child is too hot or suffering from heat exhaustion, the child can go into shock, caused by going from one extreme temperature to the next. We like to just keep it room temperature. Some other items to bring along on a nature walk are trail mix (a lightweight and healthy snack), bug collection containers, microscopes, tweezers, plastic sandwich bags, binoculars, and cameras.

In the last post, I mentioned some of the fun ways parents and schools are promoting physical fitness in kids. One of those creative and innovative exercise options is an artificial rock climbing wall. I wanted to add more on that physical fitness option in particular because I feel it's a really great choice.

Since kids are constantly growing, their muscles need to be strong. Rock climbing helps build those muscles because the child is holding up the entire body with the arms and legs and even the abdominals. Adding a rock climbing wall to a child's physical routine has many benefits. Not only that, but it's like a game to kids. In fact, many games can be invented to use with one or it can be used without games. Either way, the kids still find it fun and it's still a great workout.

One game I think is fun is having the kids race to the top, following safety rules, of course. Once they get up there, have them race back down. Kids seem to never get tired of racing. This race is not one most of the kids do everyday, so the kids seem to take to it right away because it's so different. This can be played on mini-sized rock climbing walls located at parks or even on the giant ones found in rock climbing gyms.

Another fun thing to do is to place flags on various points of the rock wall. Use lightweight flags and something that is easy for the kids to pull off because of safety issues. Choose a different color for each kid. The goal is for each kid to collect all of their flags. This can be a contest with a winner or just a fun activity. Either way, the kids will get some fun, as well as a great workout. For a more challenging game on the larger rock climbing walls, mix the flags up all across and around the rock wall.

If your child's school does not have a rock climbing wall or is not visiting one, suggest one to the gym or physical education teacher, principal, and other staff. Most schools are at least open to suggestions. Even if the schools cannot build one, they may be near one that will be easy access to the students either during or after school. Also, if the school cannot or will not give access to a rock climbing gym, for whatever reason, remember that parents can also take the kids to the rock climbing gyms. Since artificial rock climbing is growing more popular, they are fairly easy to find. Whether your child does this at school or on your time, be sure to have access to the right gear, such as hiking boots and climbing equipment. The artificial rock climbing gyms will likely have everything your child needs. But, if you decide to put one in your own backyard, be aware of the safety rules and equipment required to protect your child.

Physical fitness is important for children. It helps them gain strength in the bones and muscles, which is good for growth. It also can help fight obesity by keeping the body in shape. Kids already get some exercise in gym and PE classes at school, but as a parent, I realize they still need more. Parents should be actively involved in promoting physical activities in their kids, creating some type of opportunity for exercise every day.

I have noticed that many public schools are getting more active in promoting physical fitness in children, which is great news. One thing I've seen some schools do to get kids moving is to add a rock climbing wall to the school gym or playground. They are accessible during recess, as well as on certain days during gym or physical education class. The kids seem to really enjoy these rock walls and it's a great total body workout.

School playgrounds are actually a good source of exercise as well, offering a range of physical movements. Adding other things to the outdoor play area, such as a tether ball pole, basketball court, and volleyball net add even more fun and exercise. Some schools even allow the children to use bicycles, inline skates, and skateboards in a designated area. With this type of play growing in popularity, I have even seen some schools with bicycle and skateboard ramps.

Many museums also have an interactive physical health section where children can visit to learn more. Schools can take a day trip and teachers can center a lesson around this. Some of the museums even offer lesson plans or guided tours of these interactive exhibits.

Another thing I have seen schools do is to have a free play time at least once a week during gym or physical education time. They will have assorted things available to play with, like gym scooters, fitness balls, a rock wall, rope climbing, and many other items. These create physical activities that are disguised as fun to the kids.

Making gym and physical fitness fun is a great idea. In fact, that's what we do in our household. Active kids are healthy kids, so we are sure that the kids get their dose every day, in addition to what is offered at school. Dancing is a fun and versatile family activity that is also great exercise. Some schools are also incorporating dance into the curriculum of the core subjects for added physical and mental benefits.

Our kids also like to play many of the classical games that children don't seem to play as much of anymore, such as "Red Rover", "Freeze Tag", and "Dodge Ball". Bike riding is another regular family event that we have found to be very fun and beneficial to the physical health of the children. It's great to do any time of the day, but especially after dinner, one of the best times to burn some of those calories!