The ice is melting, and it’s finally warm enough to go without a sweater. In my house, that means it’s time to stop hibernating inside and get back into shape. That’s more difficult for parents with young kids because mom and dad can’t just run off to the gym whenever they want, so we have to do it as a family.
Here are some great family fitness tips to get yours back into shape for spring:
#1 Start with a good breakfast
This is the #1 rule in my house. Our breakfast keeps us going throughout whatever activities we have planned that day. As a busy family, we eat a lot of cereal or oatmeal for breakfast. We’re not picky but do like to stick to cereals high in whole-grain (and still tasty!), like Great Grains or Shredded Wheat. Eat it with a side of fruit and toast, and you have the perfect start to your day.
#2 Go for a family walk
We like to do this before it gets too warm in the day. It’s a nice way to wake up, everyone gets to join in, and you can burn off some of those morning calories.
#3 Plug in that game console
We have both a Wii Fit and several fitness games for the X-Box Kinect. I usually play while my boys attempt to mimic my movements. Children think it’s a game, so you don’t have to force your little ones to join in. You’ll likely have to tear them away from it!
#4 Family skating
This is an awesome way to burn off calories as a family. I am fortunate to live in a big city with a lot of skating opportunities. We enjoy it every chance we get.
#5 Swimming
We look forward to our pool time all winter long. The kids can’t wait to get out there, and we always have lots of water games for them to play. Spend an hour out there, and they’ll be ready for a nap!
#6 Play kickball
Kickball is great for just about any child who can walk but haven’t quite mastered other sports. We take the game to the park and kick it around until the kids are worn out.
#7 Tag!
Our family loves to play tag in our backyard. It keeps the heart rate going strong, generates a lot of laughter and gives us some great quality time together.