For many, one of the roadblocks to staying active is the idea that fitness has to come from a class or a sport or something that is structured and scheduled. While having a scheduled activity can be a good way to keep accountability, there are many informal ways to incorporate more movement into your life! If you’ve got kids home for the summer, you might be feel daunted by trying to keep the family active and prioritize movement.
Building a habit of outside movement and creative play at a young age can have a significant positive effect through adulthood. In addition to the physical benefits, time outside and physical movement can have mental health benefits for children and adults. Getting outside is a break from screens, and a great time to bond as a family. Here are some ideas!
Go for a Walk — And Make It Fun!
Never underestimate the power of a good walk! Walking around the neighborhood is a great way to exercise as a family. Turn your neighborhood stroll into an adventure walk by adding a scavenger hunt component. Have kids look for a certain number or type of objects or point out things in the neighborhood that start with each letter of the alphabet. You can also work together as a family to learn more about the world around you by identifying plants and animals. Make it an after-dinner walk to avoid the heat of the day, and aid digestion!
Build a Home Obstacle Course
A mix of fitness and family fun, obstacle courses build creativity and problem solving skills as well as physical coordination. Using objects from around the house, work together to design an obstacle course in the yard, and then take turns attempting to complete the course. Try out different combinations, difficulty levels, or instructions. What a great way to spend time together and do something creative that’s also movement based! (Just be sure to keep obstacles appropriate for each age. An obstacle course for a toddler is going to look different than one for a 10-year-old.)
Indoor Movement
For those days when it’s rainy or too hot to be outside, there are plenty of things children and families can do to stay active indoors. Create an indoor obstacle course for kids by stringing yarn between different points in a hallway. Then pretend to be spies climbing through a laser field!
Yoga can also be a good indoor activity to get out some energy in a positive way. YouTube channels like Cosmic Yoga offer story-based yoga practices designed for kids. Yoga promotes mind-body connection, tools for emotional regulation, stretching and strengthening.
It can take a bit of creative thinking and some time to build new neural pathways, but recent research suggests that building more movement into the everyday can have a positive affect on symptoms associated with sedentary lifestyle. Establishing those habits early will help kids maintain healthy habits as they age. It’s never too early for kids to start learning about healthy biomechanics and posture. Chiropractic, acupuncture, and massage are all safe, non-invasive, and non-pharmacological treatments for children!