With the obesity epidemic on the rise in America and more people dealing with health problems than ever before, now is the time to make positive changes, before the permanent consequences of obesity set in. Here are some tips to get your kids up and enjoying themselves in the great outdoors…and indoors on rainy days. Print this list and tape it on the fridge, and you’ll always have an answer when your kids cry boredom.

Take a walk! Make it fun by getting pedometers for the whole family and have step competitions. See who can take the most steps in a day and the winner at the end of the week could pick the next family fun activity.

Try before and after care for kids at school. Rather than paying a babysitter to plop them down on the couch, check into before and after school programs for your kids. Often they have arts and crafts and physical activities like dodge ball.

Sign up for sports or activities. Don’t make it a punishment, find out what sports their friends are into, and they may join with enthusiasm rather than resistance. Try soccer, baseball, gymnastics, ballet or swimming. If there’s no room on the school team, try community sponsored programs or even get a friendly game going with other kids in the neighborhood.

Explore your local parks. Most cities and suburbs have several parks. Go online to find them as well as the amenities they offer. Test out the playground and swing sets, or get a book from the library and walk around to identify trees, plants and birds. Enjoy full use of trails, disc golf, swimming pools and open fields.

If you live in a rural area, look up the nearest town or village parks, or create your own park on your property! Put in a trail with a bird bath and benches to enjoy nature watching. Add a play set or swing set for the kids to enjoy for years to come. The beauty of living in the country is space to create, so take advantage of the resources available to you.

Use your driveway. The driveway is a great place for kids to use a hula hoop, jump rope, or help you install a basketball hoop. Get some inexpensive sidewalk chalk and play hopscotch or four squares with a rubber ball.

Go Geocaching. Geocaching is a new worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure with a GPS unit. A geocacher will place an item in their cache and then share the location online. You can take the kids on a “treasure hunt” that is sure to satisfy their curiosity for technology while spending time together outdoors. The rules are simple: find the hidden cache, leave something of equal or greater value if you take what’s inside, and log your experience at www.geocaching.com.

Watch the clouds. It might seem sedentary, but lying on your backs watching puffy nimbus clouds and imagining their shapes and forms is a good workout for your brain. You could follow it with a good roll down the hill, and hike to find your favorite cloud watching spot.

Don’t forget the night sky. Some of the best memories come from looking through the telescope at the night sky, learning the constellations, and seeing far off planets, moons and space stations. To make it more active, drive to the country in the winter (when it gets dark early), trek away from the lights of civilization, and stare at the sky. Conservatories are located in larger cities, so that may be another option to expand the stargazing fun.

Go for a bike ride. Many cities and suburbs have bike trails to check out, often leading to parks. If you live in a rural area, ride your bike down the dirt roads around your home, or go to a nearby subdivision to ride on residential streets.

Buy a badminton/volleyball set. They are affordable and usually have both sports included. If the kids get bored with one game, switching over to the other is as easy as getting the badminton rackets and the birdie. These are great for outdoor parties too.

Plant a garden. Vegetable gardens are great for kids to learn how food grows, take an interest in what they eat, gain a lifelong skill, and get outside. Flower gardens might be a good choice too, if you plan to use the flowers and stems for making arts and crafts. The children should see the end reward for their hard work, so they will be excited and committed to the project. If you live in the city and don’t have a lot of room, no worries. You can plant a patio garden of herbs and small vegetables, or put some pots on the window sill.

Go Green! Many kids are interested in this topic because it is reinforced in schools, so extend it into your home. Remind them that walking to the store saves on gas and carbon emissions, carry a plastic bag with the family on walks to pick up trash, and make them excited about creating a healthier environment through their actions.

Plan a family hike on the weekends. Create an adventure near your house and invite your children’s friends and parents to accompany your family. This would be a good time to try bird watching, tree and shrub identification, and bug identification if you have a child who loves insects.

Bring the kids grocery shopping. Pick a day when you are not in a rush, and try to focus on the aisles with the less processed foods, like the deli, bakery and produce sections. This can get the kids out of the house even on a cold rainy day while teaching them about the food they eat and where it comes from. Your kids can also tag along to the local farmers market or even local farms for a tour of farm fresh food operations.

Get a four-pawed furry friend. You may have been resisting their pleading and begging for a pet for years, but this may be the time to give in. Dogs need to be walked two to three times a day, and having one may be an easy way to get the kids and the spouse out of the house for daily walks, no excuses. Or, volunteer to walk a neighbor’s dog if you’re not looking for a long-term commitment.

Walk to school. Too far? Park two or three blocks away and walk to and from school together. This could be a good way to bond with the children while getting their metabolism moving.

Assign active chores. Use chores to their advantage. Have the children mow the lawn (when old enough), rake and bag grass clippings and leaves for the compost pile, take out the trash, and vacuum the house. There are many more active chores, just find them!

Don’t ride, walk. Walk to the store, the ice cream shop, friend’s houses and the library. If you are nervous about safety, have an older sibling walk with them, or have them call as soon as they safely arrive at their location.

Leave the stroller at home. It may be easier to shop with your four year old in the stroller, but it is not good for them to be buckled down all of the time. Let them walk around with you and practice their listening and behavior skills.

Stay home. If you really can’t get out of the house, try a yoga for kids DVD or play the Wii Fit or Dance Dance Revolution, both active video games that are sure to get the heart pumping.

Be the Role Model! Your children look up to you most, and they mimic what you do. Try becoming more active yourself to encourage their activity levels. If they see you enjoying fitness, they will be more open to it. There are many family activities that can promote bonding between family members while getting active:

Bowling

Hiking

Ice skating

Laser tag

Miniature golf

Mall shopping (using their allowance from their active chores)

Playing catch with a softball or football

Running races

Soccer practice

No matter what activity you choose to engage your children in, their health will benefit, as will the healthy bonds of the family.