5 Ways to Exercise with Your Child
What better way to connect with your child than to be physically active with them? Spending time like this with your little ones nurtures relationship building between parents and/or guardians and kids while promoting a healthier lifestyle – that’s a win all the way around!
Check out these fun ideas to exercise with your child:
- Play outside – Gather up toys that foster movement such as jump ropes, hula hoops, sidewalk chalk, a soccer ball, baseball bat and ball, roller skates and scooters and play away. Set a timer for each activity and rotate between activities – and yes YOU can play along too!
- Dance party – Physical activity doesn’t always have to feel like exercise! Put on your family’s favorite tunes and break it down. Let the kids choreograph a family dance routine, ask each child to pick their favorite move and teach it to your family, or just do freestyle! Whatever you do, before you know it, 30 minutes of great family activity will have flown by.
- Family outing – Make a trip to the local park for some running around! Check out the playground or play a game of freeze tag. You can even pack a picnic for dinner to extend play time. If not the park, head on down to the pool and set a family goal for total number of laps to swim and everyone (age appropriate) has to contribute. Take some sidewalk chalk and let the kids tally the laps!
- Family nature walk – To maintain energy balance, take a stroll after dinner and encourage the kids to explore nature with a game of “I Spy!” Family walks can be a time for physical activity, learning and family bonding!
- Sign up for a sport – See what sports are offered at your local YMCA or community center and have the kids select a sport that they would like to try, and plan family practice time each night or week!
Share with us some other creative ways that you like to exercise with your child!
This post was originally published on the OrganWise Guys blog, a Together Counts™ partner. The OrganWise Guys Inc. began in 1993 with a vision to inspire individuals to take charge of their health by assuming personal responsibility for their choices. By bringing the body to life via lovable organ characters, kids of all ages learn what it really means to be smart from the inside out. Wanna learn more about The OrganWise Guys beginnings? Check out these videos: Meet The OrganWise Guys! & How OWG Began.
For more fun ways to get active as a family, check out these suggestions from Together Counts: