Simple, Fun Ideas for Family Fitness

By now you know why exercise is important to your family: it can reduce heart risks, control weight, and help children in school do better. And it lets some energy burn off for kids. Additionally, early-age family activities and fitness can go a long way to helping children form healthy lifestyle habits.

But don't expect your children to understand these issues-or even think about them. Your job is to make them see how fun it's to move more. When exercise feels like playing, your entire family enjoys it more and is more likely to stick to it.

Here are five family-fitness ideas that can move you all.

Create time to play

Set aside three times a week, 30 minutes to do fun exercises with your children. Make it a part of your after-school routine or after-dinner. They might like hopscotch, or hide-and-seek, if your kids are young. Kick a soccer ball, or shoot hoops with older kids.

Planning at least one family activity each weekend too. It can be as simple as taking the little ones to the playground — or as challenging as hiking with your teenager for the whole day.

A key to getting children to move is planning time for physical activities. You can find that time, for starters, by turning off the TV. Then, offer a variety of competitive and non-competitive family activities. When children learn different ways of moving their bodies, they will find activities that they enjoy and want to stick with for the long run.

Walking or cycling, anywhere you can

Using muscle power: Ride or walk to the grocery store, library, or school or sporting activities for your boy. After dinner go for a 30-minute family walk instead of heading straight for the Couch.

Track steps of all with a pedometer, and try to add more distance each week. To track your progress, use a family exercise log or colorful stickers. Put your log or diagram on the fridge as a reminder to keep up the good effort.

Planning Active Family Activities

Serve family fitness as well as cake by planning active games such as tag or relay races at your child's birthday party. Older children could enjoy throwing a dance party.

Any large gathering of children is also a great opportunity to play a team sport. Just go to a nearby football field or basketball court. Many fun party ideas: a pool party, roller skating, or ice hockey, or indoor rock gym climbing.

Turn off the television at family or holiday meetings and take a walk around the community or go for a nice stroll in a local park. Or go outside for a catch or basketball game.

Singing and Dancing When Cleaning

Place household tasks aside and do them together as a family. Play music as you clean it, and select favorite songs in turn. Younger kids love to help out, and they can pick up toys or sweep floors while they dance with the broom. Older children have the ability to dust, vacuum and help make beds.

Making your Yard Work less of a chore

Enjoy working together at seasonal yard. Younger kids can help with the planting and the gardening. Older children can pluck leaves into a pile — and then jump into it. Make snow shoveling fun for everyone by building a snow fort, or by creating a snow people family.