We can’t deny that we live in a beautiful city where its splendor shines through the frost and deep banks of snow over our long winter. While Mother Nature gifts us with a chinook once in a while, it’s not unusual to see the thermostat plummet to arctic conditions. With our fluctuating temperatures, keeping active can become a challenge but the season can provide families with an opportunity to explore a variety of activities.
Living in Calgary, there is an abundance of winter activities readily available with our close proximity to the mountains. But we sometimes forget that it can be the simple (not to mention, budget-friendly) local activities that prevent us from being sedentary and help us stay active in the colder months. Perhaps one of the most underrated beneficial physical activities of them all is going for walks - while bundled, of course!
The Calgary Catholic School District participates in Winter Walk Day for this very reason - an event that falls in early February each year. Winter Walk Day is an initiative by SHAPE Alberta (an acronym that stands for Safe Healthy Active People Everywhere) and was developed to encourage schools, community groups, workplaces and individuals to walk for at least 15 minutes; this year, it takes place on Wednesday, February 3, 2016. Groups register and participate province-wide by logging their walk times online, creating an extended physically active community. To register, visit www.shapeab.com.
There are, of course, plenty of other ways to continue to stay active, like taking advantage of the many parks in Calgary that feature hills to sled or toboggan down. Some of the best hills include: Confederation Park, Glendale Park, Nosehill Park, Prairie Winds Park, Stanley Park and many more. Visit www.calgary.ca for a full listing of parks (and don’t forget: Safety First! Always remember to put helmets on those heads).
Physical activities can happen right in your own back yard as well. Making snowmen is a great way to bring the family together to create some festive cheer and that left over front yard snow can also be utilized to create an igloo. While it is always great to learn new things and keep your child mentally active with indoor activities, it is just as important to make sure they stay physically active.
The Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) CCSD is the largest Catholic school district in Alberta, serving more than 53,000 students in 105 schools located in Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane, Chestermere and Rocky View County. For more information, visit cssd.ab.ca
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