It’s a brand new year, time to call a family meeting. Talk about each individual’s goals and introduce a new one: family fitness.
This year, make it a consistent habit to get the whole family moving. Think of activities you can do together regularly as a group. Not only will this plan help the family have fitness as a priority and in each individual’s minds, but it will also create lasting bonds. Try scheduling at last one activity per week for the whole family. Here are some suggestions:
Winter
- Sledding and/or snow tubing – So much fun sliding down, right? Trudging up the hill is another story. But it’s good cardio and leg workout.
- Basketball – Find an indoor space with a basketball court and schedule a time for the whole family to get a little competition going. The team that wins gets to skip chores for the week as they pass these to the losing team.
- Shoveling snow – Speaking of chores, what if there was a winter storm? Don’t just leave it to one or two members of the family to do the (literal) heavy lifting (of the snow). Get more shovels and make it a fun family activity. It gets things cleared much faster (in theory) and everybody gets a workout. Then head back inside and enjoy some hot cocoa together.
Spring
- Biking – Celebrate the start of warmer months by taking out the bikes and exploring the neighborhood. Race back home – the last one in will have to put the bikes away 🙂
- Soccer – Get one of those pop up goals (or just cones if that’s more convenient) and set it up in the backyard. Play some 2v2’s or 3v3’s. Do a little target practice and see who scores the most goals.
- Gardening/Yard work – May seem like a chore, but this actually counts as exercise. There are moves that will help with flexibility and mobility and it also builds strength and endurance. Just like with shoveling snow, make it a family activity so everybody gets to exercise. Then head inside for a cool glass of lemonade.
Summer
- Backyard games – Set up a makeshift obstacle course to get the whole family moving while only being steps away from your air-conditioned house if the summer heat gets too much. It’s fun and will help develop those problem-solving skills too.
- Beach volleyball – Summer’s not complete without a trip to the beach! Grab a volleyball before you leave so you can play a sport while having fun in the sun.
- Gym time – Beat the heat by having a family workout in the air-conditioned gym. Merritt Clubs has group classes and Kids’ Club for the little ones!
Fall
- Nature walk – This is not even just for exercise. Taking a nature walk has many health benefits. And the kids can learn more about the flora and fauna in a chosen park. Doing this in the fall is a big plus because of the leaves’ changing colors.
- Swimming – Water fun doesn’t have to stop when the temperatures start to drop after summer. That’s what indoor pools are for! Swim some laps in a lap pool. Make it a competition with a race or by timing each other and seeing who’s the fastest.
- Family dance party at home – If it’s that time in the season when it gets really cold and you wonder if winter came early and you just want to stay inside the comforts of your home, don’t fret. A fun physical activity can still take place – you just need to move a little bit of furniture to create space. If you’ve got a game console and a Just Dance game (or similar), pop it in and have some dance battles. If not, open a music app, create a playlist of danceable songs, hit play. Let each person show off their best dance moves!
Bonus idea: Prepare healthy foods together. It’s great to be active, but pair that with eating well and your body will thank you. Find time to take a family trip to the grocery store to buy ingredients and healthy snacks. Teach the kids the value of nutrition labels. Looking at the nutrition facts and the ingredients will give you a better understanding of what you put in your body. And then head home and have some bonding time by cooking together.
Of course, one activity per week alone does not make a body fit (more regular exercise will do that). But if parents commit to the family’s plan each and every week, they show their kids what commitment to an active lifestyle looks like, which is what matters in the long run. Seeing the dedication and discipline may inspire the kids to look for more physical activities during the week, and/or even take up a sport or two! Be their biggest cheerleaders as they live a healthy and active lifestyle.
