Catherine Holecko

Oshkosh

Developmental Editor at Dotdash Meredith

Now tweeting @AboutFamilyFit and @cholecko. See you there!

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Articles

16 Active Indoor Games To Make Your Kid's Party a Hit

Jul 30, 2024 | parents.com | Catherine Holecko

Send young guests home from your child's party tired instead of wired with these active indoor party games. Adapt these games to work with your party's theme, your party budget, the number of guests you have, and their ages (and how many breakables are in your indoor party space). Try these games in your living room, garage, basement, or even a park pavilion. PhotoAlto / Michele Constantini / Getty Images You can use these competitive indoor party games to get the kids moving.
24 Brain Breaks for Kids To Try at Home

Jul 30, 2024 | parents.com | Catherine Holecko

Focusing on a task for a long period can be difficult for anyone, but especially kids. Enter brain breaks. Brain breaks are short, physical activities that, when interspersed with periods of academic work, can help improve students' attention, efficiency, enjoyment, creativity, and retention of information. Instead of arguing over schoolwork, instituting brain breaks can have the positive impact you want (kids learning and getting homework done) without the stress.
15 Indoor and Outdoor Relay Races for Kids

Jul 30, 2024 | parents.com | Catherine Holecko

These relay races for kids make fun activities for a block party, birthday bash, or family reunion. Some can be run indoors, some require no props, and almost all can be adapted to fit any party theme. Try these 15 kid-friendly relay races to bring the fun (and help kids burn off some energy). Susan Chiang / E+ / Getty Images Can be played: Indoors or outdoors Supplies: Spoons (one per player), eggs (real or plastic, one per team) Instructions: For this one, you'll need two teams.
11 Active Valentine's Day Games for Kids of All Ages

Jul 29, 2024 | msn.com | Catherine Holecko

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11 Active Valentine's Day Games for Kids of All Ages

Jul 29, 2024 | newsbreak.com | Catherine Holecko

Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments.
Fun Valentine's Day Party Games for the Whole Family

Jul 29, 2024 | parents.com | Catherine Holecko

Valentine's Day is generally considered a holiday for adults, although kids do pass treats around to friends at school. But this love-centric holiday doesn't have to be all about flowers, sweet treats, cards, and cute crafts—there are plenty of opportunities to get outside and get your body moving today. For a party or family fun, get your kids' hearts pumping with active Valentine's Day party games. Here are 11 active Valentine's Day games for everyone from preschoolers to older kids.
Stack, Launch, and Knock Them Down With Plastic Cup Fun

Jul 29, 2024 | parents.com | Catherine Holecko

Cup stacking (also called sport stacking) is a recognized sport, with competitions and tournaments held all over the world. Players compete to stack cups in specific patterns at top speed. But you don't need to be a professional to find inventive and fun ways to play with simple plastic cups. There are many more fun activities you can try with the humble plastic cup—these games can be played both indoors and outdoors, by kids of all ages.
Hula Hoop Games: Fun Ideas for Kids

Jul 16, 2024 | parents.com | Catherine Holecko

With all the outdoor games and toys kids have to choose from, something as simple as a hula hoop might seem a little low-tech or outdated—but that's half the fun. This classic toy doesn't require much beyond a kid's physical energy and willingness to experiment with how to keep the hula hoop in motion. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends kids get at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day, and hula hoops can be a fun part of meeting that requirement.
How Parents Can Help Their Child Cope With Sports Performance Anxiety

Jul 10, 2024 | parents.com | Catherine Holecko

Performance anxiety in children is very real. From dance recitals to spelling bees and even exams, kids can feel pressure from being in the spotlight. Particularly, youth sports is a major area for performance anxiety in kids. Kids often start to feel game day pressure as they move into more competitive levels of youth sports or begin traveling for sports games.
No Playdate, No Problem: Games Kids Can Play Alone

Jul 10, 2024 | parents.com | Catherine Holecko

Just because your kid is alone does not mean they can't have active fun. These games to do by yourself are suitable for a party of one and allow kids to get some physical activity without having to find a play partner. Here are our top ten fun and simple games to play when your child needs to keep themselves entertained. Comstock / Getty Images Does your child play basketball or soccer? They don't need teammates to practice skills.