Top 5 Ways to Make Exercise Fun For the Whole Family

Children who engage in exercise will develop a range of mental, physical, and social skills. Children and adolescents require at least an hour of moderate to intense physical activity daily. This may sound like quite a bit of time, but it is beneficial to their health.

Parents can be great models of healthy behaviors, by discovering enjoyable ways to be physically active in their everyday routines. Parents can also make exercise a top priority for the family. The following are 5 tips on how to make exercise fun for the whole family.

Post-Dinner Walks

You should start by rounding up the kids to take a walk after dinner. This will allow your family’s body to digest their food more easily and effectively. In fact, studies have found that taking a walk after dinner helps food travel through your digestive system. Take a walk around your neighborhood, or at a local park. You can also walk up and down the stairs of an outdoor stadium. To make it even more interesting for the kids, you may want to even opt to do a scavenger hunt.

Create a Game Using Household Chores

The family can pretend that the lava monster will be coming at a certain time. This will make everyone work hard and burn calories. Another idea could be to turn chores into a race. Everyone can race cleaning their bedrooms, washing dishes, and folding laundry. The family member who finishes first receives a prize. Also, you can pretend that the dust monster is close by and that everyone must remove the dust before he arrives.

Participate in a Charity Event

Walk as a family in a fundraising event. This will not only model the importance of exercise, but also the importance of giving back to the community. It will be a fun alternative to keep the whole family active. To participate, you will be required to collect pledges and pay a registration fee. In return, your family will enjoy a great workout, snacks, drinks, and other souvenirs. This will be enjoyable and, at the same time, thousands of dollars can be raised for charities. Examples of charity events the family can participate in includes Bike MS, Girls on the Run, Relay for Life, and many more. The best way to locate a charitable event is by looking in your local newspaper or its website. Many local organizations often host charitable events throughout the year. Once you have chosen a charitable event, let the kids help with raising money. They can always ask their teachers or school administrators.

Outdoor Family Activities

Playing outside as a family encourages more physical activity. There are a number of outdoor activities that can be done as a family. This includes bike riding, flying kites, hula hoop, and roller skating. Other fun activities include hopscotch, water balloon fight, and much more. Designate a specific day, time, and an area in your yard for family fun day. Allow the kids to take part in planning the activities that the family will participate in on that specific day. Be sure to have plenty of water and healthy snacks available for the family. Healthy snacks can include watermelon, strawberries, grapes, yogurt, nuts, etc. Sherbert or yogurt ice cream is a healthier option, if your family loves to eat ice cream. Talk to your kids about the importance of exercising and staying active.

Create a Garden

Have the kids participate in creating a garden. Let them dig up the dirt and assist in planting new bulbs. If you have young kids, they will love to get their hands muddy or soiled. Turn on a sprinkler, to help water your outside plants. Let the kids run through the sprinkler for fun.