Train Your Kids Like Piper The Elf Trains Santa!
Piper the Elf Trains Santa
Written and Illustrated by Colleen Driscoll, Brian Dumm
Published by Headline Books
Review by Eric L. Zielinski
Uh-oh! It’s that time of year again and Mrs. Claus is worried that Santa won’t fit into his suit for the BIG DAY. Evidently, Santa’s been practicing his milk-and-cookies routine during the off-season and put on some extra pounds! In this comical adventure, Piper the Elf Trains Santa, Mrs. Clause asks Piper to be Santa’s personal trainer, but there’s a problem: Santa doesn’t want to exercise and Piper has no personal training experience. In fact, she doesn’t even know what a personal trainer is supposed to do!
So, instead of working out, Piper invites Santa to play with her friends and do fun stuff like have snowball fights. This excellent book complements MagicBlox’s online collection superbly and would be a wonderful addition for the classroom, home, or library.
As you read this wonderful twist on a holiday story, ask yourself this question:
If too-fat-for-his-suit Santa is “tricked” by personal trainer Piper to exercise, how can I trick my kids to get off their duff this winter season and ward off childhood obesity?
Playing is exercise!
Piper the Elf was brilliant when he tricked Santa into exercising by suggesting that they play games instead of putting on the gym clothes and get on the treadmill. Like most kids, Santa was all about having fun and didn’t even realize that he was doing his body good when they made snow angels or snowmen. Here are just a couple ways you can get some well-needed exercise into your daughter’s daily activities without her having a clue of the lifelong benefits gained from these activates:
- Core Exercise = Tickle fights (especially around their tummy!)
- Running / Jogging = Playing tag
- Spinal hygiene / Stretching = Animal action fun
Animal action fun
What child doesn’t like pretending to be animals? Next time you and your daughter are playing make-believe have fun with these fantastic spinal hygiene exercises:
1. Eagle
a. Stand tall.
b. Keep arms straight down your sides.
c. Breathe in and slowing raise your arms while pulling shoulders back until your hands touch over your head.
d. Breathe out and lower your arms to your sides. You should look like an eagle in flight.
e. Repeat 5-7 times making eagle noises and other fun sounds!
2. Hummingbird
a. Stand tall.
b. With your elbows bent, hands up, and your arms out to the side pull your shoulders back together.
c. Make small circles with your hands and arms in a backward motion.
d. Bend side to side and smile as you pretend to be a Happy Hummingbird.
e. Continue for 10 seconds while humming like a hummingbird!
3. Butterfly
a. Stand tall.
b. Put your hands behind your head and interlock your fingers.
c. Bring your elbows back and forth like a butterfly in flight.
d. Fly like a butterfly for 10 seconds!
Always remember to stop if any exercise hurts!