Exercising as a Family

Spending time together as a family should be a priority.  Parents who spend more time with their kids are more likely to have kids who stay out of trouble.  Not only that, it makes memories that last a lifetime.  Not only can it help a family build better relationships, it can lead to better health.  There are many options available for families to do together.  By exercising as a family it helps develop good habits early that can last a lifetime.

The simplest, and cheapest, is to just go for a walk together.  It gives you time to talk and see what is going on in your children’s lives.  You could also take a drive to a nearby park and walk there for a change in scenery.  The park also provides space for more vigorous activities, such as football, softball or just running around playing tag.

Many families enjoy riding bikes together.  Some communities even have special biking trails to make it safer for cyclists.  You can also take time to teach the kids safety and how to maintain their own bikes. 

Swimming is another great form of exercise as well as an important safety skill.  Check into getting a family pass to the local pool.  The Y often has special deals on family membership packages.  Even going once or twice a week will provide quite a bit of exercise and family time. 

Is there a family sports league in your neighborhood? If not, start one.  Rotate the sports by season, offering softball, basketball, soccer or flag football.  It could even be grownups vs. the kids.  Teams could be randomly assigned by drawing names.  There could be end of season parties, serving healthy foods, with maybe a few sweet treats for dessert.

Martial arts are very popular for both kids and adults. Don’t think it’s too late to start learning a martial art.  Even grandparents can learn a martial art, as most instructors are willing to work with a student at their level.  While you might not be in the same class together, you can practice as a family at home together.

Bowling is another fun way to spend family time and get some exercise.  Joining a parent-child league can be a lot of fun. In addition to being fun exercise, it helps teach hand eye coordination and patience, like when the younger siblings’ balls seem to take forever to roll down the lane.

It is also a good idea to do more than one activity, as not everyone will enjoy the same thing.  Let the kids each pick what they will enjoy and then the parents can divide up their time between the different activities, allowing for some more one-to-one time with the kids.