You don’t have to go far to stay active as a family. We’ve come up with some simple and fun ways you can all get your daily exercise in.
Do some gardening
Kids are great at digging up dirt, so why not use it to your advantage and get them to help out in the garden? Whether it’s planting some new bulbs, pulling out weeds or simply just watering the plants, your children will love getting stuck in. Plus, it gets them active. With all the walking around, bending up and down and other movements involved, you can expect to burn between 250-500 calories in 1 hour. Someone get us a wheelbarrow!
Go for a walk
There’s really nothing better than the great outdoors and many experts agree that walking is one of the best forms of exercise. Whether it’s a gentle stroll around the block or building a daily walk into your schedule, it’s a fantastic activity for you and your children to get involved in. If you’re having trouble getting the kids out the door (it happens!) you can always make the walk more exciting by playing games like ‘I Spy’ or ‘Follow the leader’.
Turn up the music and boogie on down!
Children love to move around and make noise, so what better way to get their daily exercise in than with some dancing? Not only will it get them moving but dancing, singing and playing music are also a crucial part of their development, teaching them how to interact with people, objects and the world around them. You could even get out some of those classic party games such as ‘musical bumps’ and ‘musical statues’ to add a bit of healthy family competition!
Make a game out of the household chores
Exercise AND get the household chores done? That sounds like a winner to us! Why not get the whole family involved with the chores and make a game of it? One of our favourites is ’10-minute tidy’. Simply set a timer and have family members disperse around the house while putting away the day’s clutter. You could even create a sticker chart or introduce a rewards system to keep the kids motivated.
Go for a bike ride
If you and your family have bikes, then what better time to make use of them than some bonding time? Dust off those helmets and enjoy the fresh air of the great outdoors while getting in your recommended 30 minutes of physical activity a day. Not only will you get to spend time together as a family but it’s fantastic fun and can improve your mental wellbeing.
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