Family bonding through exercise
It’s summer time! That means the kids are home, the days are long, and sometimes the weather can be brutally hot or rainy. It may feel like you can’t get one minute to yourself, let alone your normal one-hour work out.
If you feel this way, like we all do sometimes, it’s time to start thinking differently. It may be hot, rainy, or just a super long summer day, but there are things that we can do to help ourselves and our kids feel healthy, get in shape, and bond through physical activity all summer long.
In fact, having your children be physically fit is greatly beneficial to them now and in the future. It has been documented, that children who exercise 60 minutes per day of moderate-intensity physical activity, as recommended by the American Medical Association, show a lower rate of obesity. In addition, they are better behaved, have greater academic skills, greater body image, and live a happier life with more emotional stability. They also, often grow up to be more active and healthier as adults.
So this summer, make the choice and get out there with yours kids and get more physically active together. Here are some ideas that can help get you started thinking about ways to go about it:
The pool. The pool has so many great benefits. You can literally spend hours there. This is a great activity because when your kids are playing, you can do your own exercise. You can tread water while you watch your children or if there is another adult there you can switch off doing laps! Your kids will love swimming around, playing with their friends or siblings in the pool, and you will get that workout in that otherwise you wouldn’t have time for. If it is raining out, perhaps there is an indoor pool in the area for you to go to.
Bike Riding. Make sure to go when it isn’t so hot, like in the early morning or evening hours. You should look for a trail that has a pretty landscape and some shade. Additionally, you can find trails with shorter and longer paths. These types of paths make bike riding a great family activity because you can decide if you want to push yourselves or take it a little easier. If there are two adults, you can split into groups; one group can go on one trail while the other group goes on the other. If it’s raining or too hot, check to see if there are any indoor tracks in your area.
Pick a sport. There are so many great sports that you can play both indoors and outdoors throughout the summer. Whether you and your kids prefer baseball, tennis, basketball or another sport, there is bound to be somewhere to play.
Dance. There are so many different types of ways to dance with your children. You can take a Zumba class together, put on some music and play freeze dance, make up a dance to perform together, or just go crazy to music.
Make an obstacle course. There is bound to be random objects, pieces of furniture, or exercise equipment around your house. Gather stuff together and create an obstacle course for you and your kids to play with. You can even make a scavenger hunt in order to look for the objects to use.
So this summer, do not feel stuck; get moving! There are so many ways to have fun, bond, and spend time doing physical activities together. There is no need to be watching TV, playing on the computer, or chilling on an IPad. Do something exciting, create a memory together, and get yourself and your children physically fit.
Klika, Brett. “Top 10 Reasons Children Should Exercise.” ACE, 7 June 2017, www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/6441/top-10-reasons-children-should-exercise.