Children spend many hours per day in front of a screen in this modern-day and age, causing only 1 in 3 children to be physically active every day.
Because of our increasingly sedentary lifestyles, taking time to get physically active is now more important than ever.
However, family fitness doesn’t have to look like a strict gym schedule. It can be a fun group activity that brings you closer as a unit and improves overall wellbeing.
So, how can you start introducing more family fitness activities into your regular routine? Below, we’re going over five different ways to get your heart rate up as a group – because things are always better in good company.
Make it a Competition
Sometimes, all you need is a little competition to find the extra motivation inside you. To challenge yourself and the whole family to reach (and exceed) personal fitness goals, create a friendly competition and set the stakes.
For example, you could create a competition based on who can get the most steps in each day. After a week of competing, whoever has the most steps gets to choose where the family gets takeout – and chooses the dessert!
Not only is this a way to get everyone involved, but competition serves as an extra motivator to push each family member towards their own goals.
Create a Family Sports League – Uniforms and All
In the same spirit of competition, you could get a little more creative and make a ‘family sports league’ of your sport of choice. Are your family members basketball lovers? Get into it and let everyone participate in building the league.
Create teams of 1 or 2 and choose names, build a game schedule, create a court in the driveway, get your hands on the best indoor basketball that is suitable for outdoor play, and go crazy with the uniforms and matching outdoor basketball shoes.
This is one of many ways to keep active in a fresh, fun way. If this becomes something your family loves, you can even plan for a “championship game” down the road that leads to a big party after.
Host a Backyard Field Day
Remember field day in school? It usually consists of a schedule of small physical activities and challenges throughout the day, leading to a big prize (or bragging rights).
You can recreate all the fun of a field day in your own backyard. Get creative by brainstorming challenges and using what you have around the house.
A game of tug-o-war followed by water balloon toss and three-legged race? Sounds like a day full of laughs, sweat, and family fun. Here are a few extra field day games that you could incorporate:
- Potato Sack Race
- Obstacle Course
- Bobbing for Apples
- Pool Noodle Javelin
- Corn Hole
- Wheelbarrow Race
- Relay Race
- Hula Hoop Competition
- Treasure/Scavenger Hunt
Schedule Daily Walks
Walking is an easy way to get more steps in and move your bodies with low-impact cardio, in a relaxed way. It doesn’t even feel like exercise! Family walks can also be a great time to share about everyone’s day and connect away from all the screens and distractions of home.
Decide on a time that works best for everyone. That could mean an early-morning stroll to gently wake the body up or an evening walk just before dinner as the sunsets. Whatever works for you, try to stick with a schedule so you’ll always have something to look forward to.
Plan a Dance Party
What’s more fun than a dance party? It’s hard to come up with anything. Dancing not only feels great, but it’s also a great form of cardio. You can create some anticipation and fun around the party by rotating who is in charge of the playlist.
Each week, give the responsibility to someone else so they can set the tone for the dance floor and share some of their favorite tunes with everyone else. You’ll learn new songs, get pent-up energy out, and bond as a family as you dance it out to your favorite songs.
Fitness Can Be Fun for Everyone
Fitness doesn’t have to be a drag. It’s about moving the body and feeling good. If you want to incorporate more movement and exercise into your family’s life, try a few of the suggestions above to get everyone involved.
By getting creative and turning daily fitness into a fun family bonding experience, you’ll wind up turning daily exercise into one of the things your family looks forward to the most.
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