ACTIVITY

As the daylight hours get shorter, and the weather gets cooler, here's how you can stay active with your dog.

Explore a new musical installation at Matthaei Botanical Gardens.

Join other nature lovers on a stroll through Buttonbush Nature Area later this month.

How you can enjoy an Olympic sport, at your own pace, right in Metro Detroit.

Here's when you can skate at Vets Park this holiday season.

Some people stay sharp as a tack even as they enter their “golden years” -- but are they just lucky, or do they know something that others don’t?

Activity trackers seem to promote 10,000 steps per day as the golden standard -- but what is the science behind this number? And does this goal suit everyone? Dr. Frank McGeorge says: not really.

One of Tree Town's favorite Halloween events is canceled this year.

Learn about trees up close at Matthaei Botanical Gardens.

A new exhibit at the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum invites visitors of all ages to have an immersive STEAM experience.

Learn golf with your child this summer in Ann Arbor.

Engage your senses -- and test your food knowledge -- with a new summer series by Zingerman's.

UMMA and the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology have reopened their doors to the public.

Reservations for select times between July 1-18 will be available starting at 10 a.m. on Friday.

At 10 a.m. on Friday, discounted tickets to visit the museum at select dates and times in June go on sale.

Tickets for admission must be reserved in advance to ensure safe social distancing.

The evidence-based program is designed to help reduce fall risk factors by increasing strength and improving balance.

David Arend, a physical therapist at Orthopaedic Rehab Specialists in Ann Arbor, said that even before the pandemic, people were becoming increasingly sedentary as our lives became more convenient. Physical therapist David Arend works with a patient at Orthopaedic Rehab Specialists Ann Arbor. (Orthopaedic Rehab Specialists)Make Moving a HabitFor many of us, working from home brought out our worst habits, like hunching over a laptop for hours without moving. Moving around and changing things up can also prevent the fatigue of everyday WFH activities, added Orthopaedic Rehab Specialists Outreach Coordinator Melissa Pohorence. For those with specific concerns about their aches and pains or WFH habits, Orthopaedic Rehab Specialists offers in-person and telehealth appointments.

To help beat the winter blues, families are encouraged to venture outdoors to play, spend time together and get some fresh air. “In Gaffield Children’s Garden, we provide rich, open-ended nature play experiences. We encourage families to participate and replicate what we do here, in their own homes, apartments, and parks.”One such activity is constructing a winter obstacle course. They posted this obstacle course over the weekend:Anything can be used to construct the obstacle course -- snow balls, sticks, stumps and rope, to name a few items. Make sure you associate a mission with the course: “Let’s hop over three snowballs, circle the stump two times and sprint to the tree.”To see the full guide on creating a fun winter obstacle course, click here.

As you celebrate the holidays, you may want an activity to keep the holiday spirit going and there’s a creative way you can have fun with family and friends, even if you are apart. Host Tati Amare chatted with Jacqueline Cook, a painter from Painting With A Twist in Ferndale about how you can celebrate the holidays with family and friends even if you live apart. Painting With A Twist is fun art that is all about having a great experience. You order online or you can pick it up from the Ferndale or Farmington studios. Watch the video to learn how you can enjoy this festive holiday experience.

People work much better when they feel energized and the same is true for students -- especially those who are starting the school year learning virtually. Read more: Kids at HomeRemember as a school kid, how great it felt going back to class after recess? You go out to the bus stop, you walk into your school building and now we’re just kind of waking up and we’re going right to the computer," Nakfoor said. They can spend a minute, two minutes jumping, which is such good movement for the body.”She also recommends cup stacking for younger children. It’s really important get your older kids standing up and they can even do some work while they’re standing up.”Nakfoor said her oldest son like to do wall squats while doing school work.

ANN ARBOR Wild Swan Theater has announced a new initiative titled Wild Swan in the Wings to help families with children bring fun, creative activities to their homes while schools are closed. The activities are designed for independent play or for children and adults to engage together at home, with the help of an occasional prop of common household objects. Throughout its 40-year history, Wild Swan offers lively, participatory theater workshops that provide fun ways for participants to develop imagination and creativity in a group setting. Most activities are designed to be enjoyed both indoors and outdoors -- away from screens. Every few weeks, Wild Swan will be releasing new theater games, video clips of past productions, playwriting activities and activities for kids with special needs.

ANN ARBOR While it feels like all the summer fun in Ann Arbor has been canceled, one seasonal highlight is still on this year for the community to enjoy. Full moon night paddles at Gallup Park will take place once a month as the full moon rises from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. This years dates are: July 10, July 31 and Aug. 21. Pricing is $15 for a one-person kayak and $20 for two-person kayaks and canoes. According to staff, physical distancing protocols will be in place during each paddle.