Family Exercise

Some options for all ages exercising together or breaking up into appropriate groups so all members get their exercise, including mommy and toddlers!

 

We live in a warm climate and it doesn't snow here so our summers are hot and our winters are great. The following is a monthly outline of exercise based on weather, ages and variety to keep it so fun. Collect some PE books and ideas off the internet, field games, sports drills often work well for exercise for a family group. What ever you choose to do let your kids help with the game plan, they'll love deciding together what to do daily.

 

 

March, April, May- warms up in afternoons so we play at a park or walk or tennis or bike early in the morning, 7 to 8:30am. We may bike ride to the park and then play ball tag on the playground, this is fun for all of us and we play as a family. The kids roller blade, rip-stick, shoot hoops or play tag.

 

June, July, August- pilates in the living room, all ages can do this from 4 up. Today was hilarious, it was our return to pilates session and they were laughing at the positions and moves, this exercise builds great self awareness of how strong their bodies are. Swimming laps, playing pool games. My teen girl16 will swim one to two miles a day, I swim 20 laps and the little ones swim 6 laps, in a lap length pool of 75 meters. If there is a cooler or rainy/overcast day we head quickly to a park during monsoon season and play in the rain! Floor exercises and weight lifting are also indoor options.

 

September- splash pads at local parks and play (soccer) and get wet as needed. Sub any sport your family likes, kickball, tag, field games. There are little collapsible soccer goals that are perfect for hauling along. Mine were at Target eight years ago for $30. You can make up games like one on one or mom guards the goal and little ones dribble and pass to each other and try to score on mom. Swimming as the water temps allow. Also, this is a transitional month for weather so if it's really warm in the afternoons we get up with the sun and go to parks.

 

October- afternoons out to exercise- run sprints at the park with the kids, all ages, assign a goal for how many and how far each child can do. My kids, girl 5, boys 7 and 10 run the same distance, about a 100 yards, straight side of the track length, the boys do 8, they sprint over and jog slowly back and they are encouraged to build up to more and to do them faster. We swim on very warm days or go out early to beat the heat.

 

November, December, January and February- we hike weekly, the older kids go ahead alone on familiar trails with plenty of water and a watch, they'll hike out for the allotted time and turn around and come back while I piddle along slowly with babies. We do not bring a stroller, we encourage two and up to walk as far as possible. Under two can be carried in a baby backpack by mom or a teenager. The little kids love exploring nature, watching bugs and collecting specimens of plants they see. We also play tennis weekly as a family and then other days the teens run in the mornings or bike ride and I will run with littles ones on bikes by me or they'll run with me, a mile.