5 Fall Fitness Activities to do with your Kids
It feels like everywhere I look these days, parents are browsing on their smart phones and kids are playing video games on a cell phone right next to them. I often wonder why the excuse, “I don’t have time to work out,” gets said frequently. How about knocking out two birds with one stone? Try these exercises to squeeze in a workout and have fun with your kids at the same time.
- Set up a mini obstacle course. You can tailor this to the age of your children. For example, toddlers love to run, climb, and go down slides. A teen might like to jump over objects or pretend they’re in the military and crawl under “barbed wire” you make out of string.
- Visit a corn maze. Have your child start at one end of the maze and you at the other. Race each other to the opposite side. The loser has to do the dishes.
- Pumpkin races. Two options here – Tie a rope around your waist and attach the other end to a pumpkin. Mark one side of your yard as the starting line and another as the finish line. Line everyone up and race to the other end. Anyone can play this one. Simply adjust the weight of the pumpkin accordingly. Option two: Do the same start and finish line, but this time try to run (or walk) with a small pumpkin balancing on the top of your head. If you want a challenge, incorporate them both into one activity!
- Pop quiz. Fall means going back to school. Set up an activity to quiz your kids and yourself. Pick a subject they may be struggling in. Write out flashcards with a question on one side and the answer on the other. Once you’re done, write any number 1 through 50 on either side of the cards. Then, take turns answering them. Whenever either of you gets one wrong, do jumping jacks for the number that’s on the card.
- Stick pick. Write a bunch of sports or exercises on popsicle sticks, and put them in a cup. For one month straight, designate a night and have each family member pick a stick out of the cup. Get the whole family involved, and try whatever sport or activity you have listed. Some examples could be: 20 mountain climbers, hopscotch, jump rope, baseball, etc.
I hope you’ll give these a go and get more involved with fitness and your family. If you have any other ideas, I’d love to hear them. Drop by my Facebook page and share! — www.facebook.com/jolynntoma
