4 Family-Friendly Fitness Ideas

When life gets busy, the struggle to find balance between fitness goals and family time is very real! Instead of giving up on your workout, why not make it an event for the whole family?! Believe it or not, workouts don’t have to be done in a gym, or even as a formal event. It’s possible to make them really fun moments for everyone, even the kids!

Of course, as adults, we know the benefits of regular exercise: weight loss, stress relief, good sleep, etc. Did you know that working out with your family has its own set of benefits? In addition to all of the good stuff that we already know about exercise, doing fitness together with your family can strengthen family bonds, improve relationships, and enhance communication. It also creates great memories together, which can lead to the development of some amazing life-long, healthy habits. If that wasn’t enough, most family-friendly activities are a lot of fun, and they don’t cost very much, either! Winning!

Here are a few family friendly fitness options to help get you and your family moving:

1. Go for a walk

Get the family moving with a pre or post dinner walk or hike. You can even take the dog! For you, this little burst of energy will help kick-start your metabolism, get your muscles moving, and burn off some stress from your day. For your family, this will provide a great way to catch up on everyone’s day, spend some time together, and allow the little ones to burn off some of that cooped up energy from the day!

2. Try yoga

Contrary to popular belief, yoga can be done anywhere! It can be done outside, in your living room, and even in your chair! Yoga provides the opportunity for everyone in your family to slow down, stretch out, and de-stress from the day. It also is a functional way to strengthen the body, allowing your kids to develop better coordination, body awareness, and overall strength!

3. Crank up the volume and boogie down

How easy is that?! Turn up the volume to your favorite dance party playlist and dance your heart out! Dancing is a great way to get your cardio in while having a great time. Dancing also provides a healthy chance for everyone to express themselves, relieve stress with laughter, and have some serious fun!

4. Play

When is the last time you played a solid game of tag or capture the flag, or even just took time to shoot some hoops? A good game of hide and seek would get your step count up and give you a chance to spend some quality time with the kiddos. Added bonus: active games also help develop teamwork and communication skills that can help your professional life, as well as help the kids learn some important life skills!

Author: Karen Tickner