Don’t Say, Just Do

The holiday season can be a cornucopia of emotions, physical challenges (shopping bags are HEAVY!) and life stresses. But one thing that doesn’t have to be hard at this time of year is your fitness regime and BICR is here to help. Almost all of our fitness classes go until the week of December 16 and many have room for drop-ins so check out the schedule or call the office at 604-947-2216 and let’s keep those endorphins flowing to help deal with all the other stuff (ie. cookies)!

Fun Ideas for Teaching Kids to Move on Snow and Ice

The cold weather is coming (Shhhh don’t tell Saskatchewan!) and it’s time to think about different ways to get our kids outside during the winter months. There’s lots of great reasons to get the whole family outside in winter; breathing fresh air, staying active, soaking in some vitamin D, building confidence in all weather and preventing injuries. If we can run, hop, throw, catch, jump, and balance our bodies in various ways, then we can learn to push, glide, and stop on ice, as well as slide, jump, and climb in snow. But before our children can fully participate in fun winter activities like skiing, skating and hockey, we need to first develop their fundamental movement skills specific to moving on ice and snow. Here are some “Bowenized” fun ideas, to do inside in preparation for the good times:

Push-Glide

These are the basic movements of ice skating, but they also apply to skiing. Have your child mimic these movements on a smooth floor while wearing socks, or try a pair of plastic bags over socks! Have them lean forward slightly and push their feet across the floor. Then once you get to the rink, they’ll be better prepared to move on ice. Have them hold onto you or a skate trainer for the those first sure-to-be wobbly steps on ice skates.

Stop-Turn

The next step is learning to stop. Start with your knees bent and feet together and push them out to one side and step with the inside foot in the opposite direction. This hockey-stop movement works for both skates and downhill skis. Be sure to practice “stopping” on both sides equally, on and off the ice/snow.

Step-Climb

Building a snowman is a fun winter activity that doesn’t require much. You just need outdoor space and some good snow. Taking big steps and learning how it feels to move and balance in snow are great skills to navigate the winter months and the earlier kids learn them, the better. So strap on a pair of winter boots and bring Frosty to life!

When kids learn to master moving on ice and snow, winter opens up a world of fun for the whole family. So let’s embrace the cold and enjoy activities that can lead to a lifetime of fitness and fun!

 

Looking Back on Fall

As the Fall season winds down, we reflect on the past-season-successes and what made them great (Hint: it’s you! You made them great). We were successful in receiving grants from BCRPA for a number of much-loved after-school programs; Sports Super Stars, Dryland Training, Drama, Art and the Learning Lounge (in partnership with BICS). We also debuted our After-School French classes and registration numbers (translated as enthusiasm) blew us away! Basketball workshops, in tandem with the BICS basketball season, have been very well-attended with some great skill improvement and team-building fun.

Our volunteer requests this year have been met with tons of enthusiasm from Bowen young people. We’ve enjoyed some really fun Family Play Nights and a sensational Spooky Trails event! We are so impressed with the volunteers’ willingness to help out and the kindness they treat the participants in our programs with. Thank you to all the parents who are encouraging the volunteer spirit in their children, and to the volunteers – you make us proud!

Fitness programs have been really well attended and have attracted some new names we haven’t seen, so welcome! And thank you! The new Legs, Bum and Tum classes were a squeeze (groan) along with our new Actively Aging Pilates for our 55 plus aged participants. Our long-running programs have also seen some increases and new additions in attendance and are much-loved by participants.

Adult sports in the gym have seen a resurgence in badminton, pickleball and indoor soccer. Volleyball and basketball continue to grow as word gets out.

All-in-all, Bowen has been impressively active this fall and we hope it continues through the coming new year! As always, we in the Rec Den love to hear your ideas and feedback, so please don’t hesitate to stop by, call or send us an email.

Give the Gift of Activity

If you and your loved ones share gifts during the holidays and you’re stuck for ideas, why not wrap up the present of activity?

Ideas could be a bike or jump rope for your youngest, a pair of skates for a teen or a new set of running shoes for any age. With the winter season approaching, cold weather gear such as a new exercise sweater or headphones could be great inspiration to stay active in any weather, indoors or outside.

If you’re looking to declutter and decrease waste, a gift card to a local gym, registration in a fitness class or an annual ski pass are just a few ideas to try something new and get creative. Active presents are also great if you’re on a budget, such as scheduling a weekly family hike which makes it easy to get moving and spend time together.

No matter your budget, storage space or interests, giving the give of activity is the perfect kick start to having a healthy New Year!

BICR has plenty of gift options available, including a ten pack of adult weightroom tickets for $35.00, a ten pack of fitness/adult sports tickets for $56.00 and gift cards.

 

WINTER Registration is OPEN! Click below to register for some of our featured programs.