Do it Yourself FUN & FITNESS

Fun Activities to Keep You Entertained and Active

A combination of imagination, creativity and sweat equity is what it takes to be a DIY Fun and Fitness master!   Flexing your creative skills, and flexing your mind and muscles is the name of AHPD’s DIY game.  We hope these simple ideas and videos will jumpstart your inspiration and motivation today. We encourage you to Play Every Day!

 

FAMILY FUN

Cloud Dough

Try this fun and easy make-at-home cloud dough.  Mix ½ cup lotion with a drop or two of food coloring.  (Can omit food coloring if you don’t have it).  Then mix in 1 cup of cornstarch.  Kneed together with hands and have fun playing and creating!

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Outdoor Alphabet Scavenger Hunt

Looking for ways to entice kids outside to take in some fresh air and burn off some surplus energy? Try this scavenger hunt. Happy hunting.

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Soap & Pepper Experiment

Washing hands is very important. This is a great experiment for your kids to see how soap helps to keep the germs away. Pour water in a shallow bowl. Shake or grind pepper over the water. Your dirty fingers attacks the pepper, but wipe a little soap on your fingers and the pepper stays away! Little scientists at home will be learning & having fun too!
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Kite Craft

Windy days make us think about flying kites! Express your creativity by decorating your own kite to hang in a window or door for passersby to appreciate! Fun and easy to make using construction paper, scissors, crayons or markers and a piece of ribbon.
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Jelly Fish Craft

Creating animals is fun with items you can find around your house – like paper plates and ribbon or yarn! Use your creativity to make your very own jellyfish. What other ocean animals have you made?

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Backyard Explorer

Ever explore your own backyard? Our very own environmentalist Mark Grassi, has a goal of connecting kids & kids at heart, with the wonders of nature in our own little piece of Mother Nature called Arlington Heights. Learn what you need.

View on YouTube

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Arbor Day Celebration

Celebrate the 148th Arbor Day with the Arlington Heights Park District. Where we planted a new tree at Legacy Park.

View on YouTube

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Rocket Craft

5-4-3-2-1….Blast Off! You can create your very own rocket using empty paper towel tubes, construction paper and your imagination. Enjoy your outer space adventure!
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Virtual Tours

Enjoy virtual tours of various Chicago landmarks and recreational areas. (Do you miss traveling with friends through the Arlington Classic Tour Club? Here’s a way to take a virtual architectural tour in Chicago without leaving your home.) www.chicagodetours.com/architecture-tours/
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 Building a Box Fort 

It’s a perfect activity for any kid that loves to build and offers great skills building from planning, to problem-solving and critical thinking.

View on YouTube

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Arbor Day Artists Contest

  • DEADLINE TO ENTER:  FRIDAY, APRIL 24TH
  • ONE ENTRY OUT OF EACH AGE CATEGORY WILL RECEIVE A $25 GIFT CERTIFICATE.

 

  • WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON 
ArborDayDIY

Family Hand Print Craft

Using fine motor skills to trace, cut and glue – you can make your own family hand picture!  We’re all in this together – and it starts at home!  Stay in to save lives.

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Spring Flowers Craft

Are spring flowers coming up in your yard? A fun twist on painting – using a fork to help make your spring flowers.

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Sink or Float ?

Experiments are fun! Find fun objects from around your house and have everyone guess if they are going to sink or float.

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Name Puzzles Craft

Picture puzzles aren’t only fun, but they also help kids develop eye-hand coordination, and learn color concepts, and more! Try making your own cute picture puzzle using your name or any fun picture you’d like. Makes a great Mother’s Day gift idea!

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Build a Birdhouse

Envirogroup invites you to attract birds to your backyard with a fun DIY Birdhouse activity. This is a great Springtime project for families, and kids big and small!

View on YouTube

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Fun Magic Trick

Don't blink! Check out a bit of magic today! Watch as this handkerchief vanishes right before your very eyes.

View on YouTube

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Hungry Caterpillar Craft

Why not read the Hungry Caterpillar at home, and also bring it into 3D life too! This fun craft uses simple to find supplies and is a fun way to let your kiddos imagination run wild. Show us your creativity!

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Cut and Paste Craft

Using magazines, ads, newspapers you have at home you can cut and paste all sorts of things!  Find colors, people, animals, the options are endless.  For older kids, they can find inspirational words or thoughts to keep them motivated and focused. 

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Sunshine Art and Craft

Grab your glue, glitter, paints, construction paper, and paper plates. This activity is easy & uses mostly everyday items. 

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Spring Showers Umbrella Craft

Get ready for spring showers with this easy DIY umbrella craft using mostly everyday items you have around the house.

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Cooking Together

This develops planning, and problem-solving skills. It’s also an engaging, offline social activity. Why not unplug and connect with the kiddos in the kitchen. Bon appétit!

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Ravioli

Send a personalized note through Mail

This is a great way to let your loved ones know that you're thinking of them. Be creative with markers, crayons, and other easy to find supplies at home today. They're fun to make and to receive!

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FAMILY FITNESS

Workout: Upper Body

Work your entire upper body in this short, upper body strength video.

View on YouTube

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Workout: Core Training

Join us for a strength training workout in which we will focus on strengthening the upper abdominal muscles, the lower abdominal muscles, the internal and external obliques, and the back.

View on YouTube

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Workout: Boot Camp

Join us for a fun and energizing full-body workout.  In each round we will complete strength training exercises for 3 minutes, cardio exercises for 2 minutes, and core exercises for 1 minute.

View on YouTube

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Workout: Tabata Challenge

Join us for a Tabata-inspired interval workout.  We will complete several 4 min Tabatas of 20 seconds work, followed by 10 seconds rest for a fun and challenging workout.

View on YouTube

Workout-TabataChallenge
Stay active while practicing social distancing with a DIY 5K.
 
A DIY 5K (~3.1 miles) can be “run” at home, or even around your neighborhood.  You can run, walk, row, or bike the race distance indoors or outdoors.  Please follow social distancing guidelines while you participate.
 
Run, walk, row, or bike anytime the weekend of April 18-19. Post a picture of you and your pedometer (there are also many run tracker apps you can use if you do not have a pedometer), treadmill, rower, or bike console to the AHPD's FacebookInstagram, or Twitter pages after you are done! 
 
You must use #AHPD5K2020 to be eligible to enter the random drawing of all finishers. All finisher pics will be entered to win a gift card from a local Arlington Heights restaurant.
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Family Fitness Challenge

Get your wiggles out by playing Simon Says! 

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Click Image to Enlarge and Print

Fun Family Workout

For your next family workout spell your name and start moving! How long did it take you to "workout" to your name? Who has the longest name? 

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Click Image to Enlarge and Print

FITNESS MONOPOLY

Our fitness staff at Arlington Ridge Center invites you to enjoy their version of a fitness themed board game called ARC-opoly!  

 

FITNESS MONOPOLY

Click Image to Enlarge and Print

DANCE

Preschool Dance Ballet

Feet positions with Miss Gillian

You too can get your happy feet on!  Learn basic feet positions with our very own Ms. Gillian. Soon you’ll be dancing something fierce and having fun. 

View on YouTube

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Preschool Dance

Stretches with Miss Gillian

Stretching is just as important as daily exercise for all ages.  Have fun improving your flexibility while learning together!  

View on YouTube

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Preschool Tap

Across The Floor with Miss Gillian

View on YouTube

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Preschool Tap

Challenge with Miss Gillian

View on YouTube

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Preschool Tap

Warmup with Miss Gillian

View on YouTube

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