It is so important that kids of all ages get exercise in daily; at least an hour a day! Not only is it important for the kids, but for the family too! Coming to gymnastics class for an hour is a perfect way to get some exercise…but what about the other days of the week?
Here are some ways to get in some exercise as a family!
- Going on Walks: Try going on a walk with the family either before or after dinner! Make it a routine that you all take a walk together and talk about the day. You can make this a fun activity for kids too! Play a game of I-Spy while you are walking. Have a short race and run to the end of the street. Try to see who can walk on their toes the longest. Making a walk with the family a habit, will increase your chances of forgetting to do it or putting it off.
- Make Chores Fun: The house must be cleaned at some point, so make it a fun game! Have sweeping races and see who can collect the most. Play make believe and pretend the floor is lava and all toys must be put in the toy chest to keep safe! Fold the laundry together and make it into a fun activity of Guess Whose It Is!
- Make Healthier, Active Day to Day Choices: Try changing up your “lazy” habits into “active” habits. Instead of taking the escalator or elevator, take the stairs. Instead of having the kids ride in the grocery cart at the store, have them walk with you instead. Try to make sure you are standing at least 10 minutes every hour. Add more movement to your day!
- TV Breaks: Try to make commercial breaks your fitness breaks! Instead of sitting on the couch during a commercial break, have everyone in the house get up and do jumping jacks or sit-ups! During the break, everyone in the house has to make a lap around the house. This way, you are moving around and getting active while still watching TV.
- Walk or Run for Charity: Many organizations hold different kinds of fundraisers, and many hold walks or runs! Volunteer your family to get active, and give back! You could choose a charity run or walk, attend with the family, learn more about this organization, and get fit at the same time. This is healthy for you, and a great way to give back to the community!
- Dog Walks: If your family has a dog, take turns either walking the dogs or playing fetch outside. This way, everyone has a turn to be active and get on their feet, including your pet!
- Dance Party: While you are cleaning the house, or just spending some time with the family, put on some music and dance! Get everyone on their feet and starting busting out those dance moves. This will help burn some calories rather than sitting on the couch or being bored around the house.
- Take the Fitness Outside: Depending on the time of year, bring the activity outside! If there are leaves on the ground, have a race to see who can pick up the most leaves, or who can rake them the fastest. Have running races in the backyard. Make yard work fun! Turn in into something fun that the family does together.
- Weekly Sports Night: Pick one night a week, or every other week, and as a family choose a sport. This could be a sport you all love, or a brand new sport. Explore this sport and try to learn how to play it together! Whether that means going to the park to play it, or running to the store together to get supplies, try out this new sport together and work on adding in fitness with fun!
- Technology Dungeon: Create a “technology dungeon” for cell phones and other electronic devices. Create a time frame where all devices must be put in the “dungeon” and during that time, other activities must be explored! This will take everyone’s minds off of what is going on, and you can focus on family time together, and exploring one of the above activities!
Make sure to try out all of these fun activities to get more active with the family!
