March 2018

Toddlers are concentrated energy. They run, jump and tumble, not as part of a special event, but as their every-day means of locomotion. Somewhere around school age, we teach them to sit—and they learn that lesson well. Soon, our bouncy, pouncy little springs become more and more sedentary, tting in with the sit-behind-the-desk nature of our world.

As a parent, I am always trying to get my kids more active and help keep them moving, but it’s not easy. At my son’s school, he gets a PE class once a week for half an hour—effectively nothing. It means that his physical education needs to come from the home. We’re all busy, and screens are everywhere, so it takes conscious effort and work.

During the summer, we take advantage of the many brilliant sports camps Portland has to offer. Not only do they get the kids out of the house, they let them try new skills in a safe environment…and if they nd out they don’t like a sport, they only have to do it for a week.

Every kid has different preferences, but there is a camp in Portland for every kid. Keep them active. Keep them healthy, and keep them occupied all summer long.

Melissa