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I like to move it, move it

 Summer is the perfect time to get outside, get active, and most importantly—have fun together! Whether it’s riding bikes around the neighborhood, splashing in the pool, playing tag at the park, or going on a family hike, there are so many exciting ways to stay moving under the sun. Physical activity doesn’t have to feel like a chore—when you turn it into a game or adventure, the whole family can join in on the fun. This month, we chatted with Jordanne Manney, Recreation Program Coordinator with the Town of Plattsburgh Parks & Recreation Department. She has experience making playing outside fun for all age groups! So grab your water bottles, slather on some sunscreen, and let’s explore simple, fun ways to stay active and healthy all summer long!

Jordanne, the idea of moving more and sitting less is easy enough to understand, but how much movement do we need each day?

Just like many things in our “information overloaded” society, it depends on who you ask. But the US Department of Health & Human Services has done a great job of outlining Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Here is what they have to say:

  • Preschool-aged children (ages 3-5) should be physically active throughout the day to enhance growth and development in a variety of activity types.
  • Children & adolescents (ages 6-17) should do an hour or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily, including aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and bone-strengthening activity types.
  • Adults should do 2 and a half to 5 hours a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week and muscle-strengthening activity two or more days per week.
  • Older adults should follow the same recommendations as adults, but should add balance training and may need to adjust the recommendations to meet their ability level.

Looking at daily and weekly totals makes getting enough activity seem daunting, but remember – you can break it up into much smaller segments and you will find its much more doable than you might have thought.

Breaking it up into 20-30 minute segments seems like the way to go, especially with children. But summer can drag on and kids lose interest by the end of it. What sort of things would you recommend?

There are plenty of ways to mix in some new activities that are simple and fun for all! One thing I enjoy doing with the children I babysit is creating a mini summer bucket list. This is a great way to help them be creative and to show you the types of things your kids are interested in. Get out some markers, crayons, stickers, anything to decorate the paper with and have them make a list of things they want to do/see/try this summer. Think parks, playgrounds, beaches, storybook trails, water balloon fights and sidewalk chalk.

Another idea is “color exploration". Pick any color and take them to one of the local parks/paths and see how many things they can find of that color. This helps with being active and works on awareness of their surroundings! Scavenger hunts are also a lot of fun for the kids. You can find some great ideas for this on websites like Pinterest. Stuck inside? You can find all kinds of movement videos online, from yoga to dancing, it will keep kids moving even when you aren’t able to get outside.

And for us adults who prefer activities that are a little less, active…

For adults who prefer activities that are more relaxed, there are a bunch of resources for you. Our Parks and Recreation Office offers group outings that are low impact and high reward. Our morning walking group moves at a leisurely pace for 1-1.5 miles. This is great for socializing and exercising without over doing it. We visit paved trails around Plattsburgh and a lot of these paths are straightforward so you don't have to worry about getting lost. If you want a change of scenery, Clinton County has numerous different trails/paths you can check out. Our department also offers a program called the Peaceful Paddlers. We meet for one hour in the morning, once a week to paddle for about a mile. It’s a great way to get your day started. If you are into stationary fitness, our LaPierre Lane Park has a small, secluded fitness station.

We saw you last month at the Bike Block Party. Do you have any recommendations for safe places to ride?

One of my favorite things about living in this area is all the different places to safely ride my bike. I recently started biking on local trails and then eating outside at our local restaurants. So far this summer I have visited Terry Gordon, Karen Fleury, Saranac River Trail and Point Au Roche bike paths. These are easy paved paths that range from 1.4 miles to 5 miles roundtrip. I plan on biking on the rest of the paths on the map (see right) this summer, including Northern Tier Rec Trail, Melissa Penfield Park, Little Ausable River Trail, Feinberg Park, and the Thomas Macdonough Highway. If you are looking for a bit more of an adventure, Cadyville and Point Au Roche also have trails you can bike on. Each location has maps available too.

The Town of Plattsburgh has updating all of it’s playgrounds over the past few years, can you catch us up on what we may have missed?

Designing playgrounds has been one of my favorite parts of the job! The town started updating it’s playgrounds in 2019 as part of our Park Improvement Plan. When I started in March of 2022, we had 6 playgrounds left to update. Our goal was to create a space that feels welcoming to everyone. Parks are for children to enjoy and also adults. Each playground is carefully thought out to serve a variety of ages and skill levels, and incorporate tasks that work on different developmental skills. You can find different features in each park that makes them unique (see images below). You’ll have to visit each one to find your favorites!

Top 3 things to remember.

  1. The more activity you do, the better it is for your health.
  2. Break activity sessions into 20-30 minute increments throughout the day.
  3. The North Country offers multiple opportunities to be active in the summer, no matter your ability level or age!


Town of Plattsburgh Playgrounds:















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