It's snowing outside - again. With little ones - or big ones -- stuck inside and feeling trapped, it's easy to resort to TV and video games to pass the time. But after too much Mickey Mouse and not enough movement those young bodies will only gain weight and lose muscle.

What can you do? How do you stimulate your children to exercise - to move - indoors? If you are home with your kids, it's important that you are getting everyone off the couch and elevating heart rates - while still giggling and having fun, of course.

"The importance of exercise for youth should not be understated, says Dr. David Bernhardt who specializes in primary care sports medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. "Rather than getting your youngsters involved in a lot of structured sports, the focus should be on a variety of free play activities both in the home, and outdoors," he adds.

Indoors or out, making exercise fun can excite children to move around and get them physically vital, stronger and more energetic. It's a great first step on the road to cultivating a lifetime of health and fitness.

This is the third part in a three-post series from Care.com on how to get your kids up and moving with exciting, age-appropriate physical activity.  Last but not least...SCHOOL-AGE KIDS!  Keep reading to learn more!

The NASPE guidelines for activities for children aged 5 to 12 regarding exercise, sport, dance, and other movement state:

• One hour or more of moderate and vigorous physical activity on most or all days.
• Participate in several bouts of physical activity of 15 minutes or more each day.
• Avoid periods of inactivity of 2 hours or more.

Dr. Avery Feigenbaum, a pediatric exercise scientist with 20 years of experience working with children and adolescents, and Professor in the Health and Exercise Science Department of the College of New Jersey inspired the following Balloon Move and Play. He added: "Children are not miniature adults, and need a completely different approach. Balloons invoke a natural desire to play in children. They provide essential fun, and a bridge between the skill and challenge that kids need to exercise. With balloons, it's not seen as exercise; it's a game."

Game: Balloon Move and Play

Description: Balloons are held (and used as playful props) while squatting, lunging, and moving in different directions to enhance muscle strength, agility, balance, and coordination.

TIP: Regular balloons are okay, but Punch balloons are even better, as they tend not to burst as easily and don't make a loud noise when they pop which can frighten children.

Activities:

• Warm up. Use five minutes to march in place, do jumping jacks, or put on music and dance around.
• Balloon Stepping. Put obstacle on floor and have kids hold balloon in one hand while they lunge (Take a big step) over object. Could use anything: plates, stools, tape marks. Five steps forward, five back.
• Balloon Hop. Create stepping stones for balancing as you hop there and back, holding a balloon. Use rings, hula hoops, or tape marks.
• Balloon Skip. Place chairs, buckets, or other objects out for children to run or skip around with balloon.
• Balloon Sit-to-Stand. Child sits on chair holding balloon. Parent shouts 'Stand up' and child stands and taps balloon with their other hand, sits back down. Do this 10 times.
• Balloon Sit-to-Stand with Jump. After child stands, child jumps up and reaches toward ceiling, lands back on his feet. Sits back down. Do this 5 or 10 times.
• Balloon Core Balance. Child is on hands and knees, palms under their shoulders. Hand them a balloon and ask them to write their name in the air with it. (Or spell some words, cat, dog, etc.) Switch hands. Do this twice.

These tips were published with permission from Care.com.