We all know that staying active is important for family health, but sometimes, it can be really tough to balance it out with daily chores and family obligations. Here are some fun activities to get everyone up and moving!
Incorporate movement into everyday activities
When you get home and are faced with a mountain of chores/obligations, take a moment to switch your mindset and think of some easy ways to incorporate movement. For example, if you are getting ready to cook dinner, turn on some favorite tunes and dance/move around. Get the kiddos involved with helping you prep ingredients and choose their favorite tunes.
Slow down
Sometimes movement doesn’t have to be loud and fast. It’s a good idea to turn it down and do different types of movements. Yoga, stretching, Pilates, and slow movements are great exercises to do with your entire family.
Get outside.
There’s a whole world out there for your family to explore. Nature hikes, strolls through neighborhoods (we sometimes go to other neighborhoods just to see different things!) Walking around Georgetown square, kayaking, and camping are just some of the neat ways that you can get out of your house and move.
Old Fashioned Fun
Maybe when you were little, you really didn’t think about specific exercises, you just played with your friends until it was dark and the street lights came on. By playing classic games like hide and seek, red light/green light, sharks and minnows with your kids, you might find yourself having even more fun than doing a workout. Just make sure to get back home before the dinner bell rings.
Home Base
Create fun and interesting games for your family at home. Set up a spider web to crawl through, tape down some paper and make a roadway through your house. Making a fun obstacle course, exercise stations, toss games (bean bags and laundry baskets), and the classic freeze dance are wonderful ways to move and create bonding moments.
Get with Friends
Getting to play with friends is the best exercise for everyone’s physical, mental, and emotional strength. Reach out to other families and arrange some time to get together at the park. While there, try not to sit on the bench, but go ahead and play with your kids and slide down the slides. (Just...make sure that you judge the space in the tunnels...speaking from personal experience).
Little Ones
Incorporating baby yoga, stretching, and everyday movements can help you and your youngest ones move throughout the day. Did you know that there’s a lot of products that enable families to hike and get outside? You can even get measured and try one on at REI to see how comfortable you are with a child-carry pack for more lengthy adventures.
Let us know what you do for your family's activities and exercise in the comments below. We’re interested to see what works for your family and what advice you would share with new families. Let’s go!!