16 Tips to do Fitness as a Family

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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