Fitness as a family is a great way to spend time together and get in some exercise. Here are sixteen tips to get everyone up and moving.
Find indoor activities for those cold or rainy days
- Roller skate or ice skate at the local indoor rink
- Turn up the music and dance around the living room
- Create an obstacle course with chairs from the kitchen and couch cushions from the living room. Use the cooking timer to see who completes the course the fastest.
- Call out animal names and have the family members act them out. Cat crawling, crab walking and Bird wing-flapping gets everyone moving.
Get moving outside
- Take a walk around the neighborhood after dinner.
- Make a list of things you might see outside, and as you walk through the local park, have the kids check them off.
- Plan a day trip to a nearby recreation area or state park where the family can hike on a trail or take a canoe trip.
- Find a pick-your-own vegetable farm or orchard. Your family will burn some calories and get healthy food to take home.
Change it up
- Participating in a new sport that no one else has tried before. Volleyball or badminton, anyone?
- Go old school by teaching the kids hopscotch, red light/green light or kick the can
- Get out the jump rope and have each family member take turns turning the rope or jumping in the middle. Learn a few skipping rope songs to add to the fun.
- Next leisurely pool day, challenge the kids to a freestyle swimming race across the pool.
Make Exercise fun
- Put a small bowl of popcorn on the floor. As you lower yourself down into a pushup, stick out your tongue to get a piece of popcorn from the bowl. Rise back up, and then repeat the push up for more popcorn treats.
- Play freeze tag. When someone is “frozen”, they jog in place.
- Have one family member blow bubbles, everyone else does jumping jacks and tries to “catch” the bubbles as they clap their hands above their head.
- Join a community fun run or walk. An added benefit is your family will be raising money for a good cause while getting fit.
Featured picture source: Better Homes and Gardens
I’m Frances. I am a mother, a wife, and a community volunteer. I work as a scientist by day and moonlight as a blogger. Making lists helps me keep everything on track. While I have a good life, there is always room for improvement. Join me as I decorate, organize, and try new things over at my blog Improvement List.
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