Make Fitness Fun: Exercises You Can Do as a Family

The New Year is a great opportunity to get in shape and add a fitness regimen to your lifestyle. A great way to do this is to focus on exercising as a family. Not only does this allow for more quality time spent with loved ones, but is also improves the health of your entire family. Try any of these four suggestions to get your family’s heart rate up.

1. Turn boring household chores into an exciting game. Dust the counters, vacuum the floors, and get toys put away quickly and easily by turning it into an adventure. Use imagination to create a story that involves the whole family and gets them moving while also being productive. Before you know it, the house will be clean and everyone will have gotten active.
2. Make a habit of going for a walk. By scheduling a walk into your routine, it becomes easier to commit to it. Try scheduling it before or after dinner when everyone is home from work or school. For little ones, bring along a stroller in case they get tired. This way they can still get in some exercise and you can have the added workout of pushing the stroller along.
3. Sign up for fitness events for a good cause. There are typically great races that can be ran or walked during major holidays and throughout the summer. Annual races like this can be a great family tradition to start. Each of your family members can get involved, and it is a great way to teach your children about giving back to the community.
4. Try something new in a group. Whether you go to a class at the gym you are a member of or purchase a workout DVD you can do in the comfort of your own home, go for a theme the entire family will enjoy. Working out in a group allows family members to help each other with exercises, motivate one another, and be involved in successes. Many different DVDs have different fitness levels happening at once so everyone can workout at their own pace.
5. Sneak in fitness whenever you can. Any outing you have with the family can be an opportunity for added fitness. Park at the end of the parking lot when you go shopping or to the movies as a family, and opt for the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible. Just a few added steps each time can make a big impact for everyone in the long run.

We’d love to hear what exercise routines your family does together! Share them in the comments below.