Family activity can help teach your kids the importance of leading an active lifestyle. Trying new things together is a great way to learn and grow together, while building happy memories along the way. Leading an active lifestyle that includes regular exercise provides a number of health benefits, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), for you and your entire family including:
- Improving mood and outlook
- Strengthening bones and muscles
- Helping to control weight
- Reduce the risk of some chronic diseases
There are a number of ways to start leading a more active lifestyle with your family:
- Include your kids in planning family activities by brainstorming together over breakfast.
- Create a wish list of fun activities your family would like to do together and add to it regularly. Have your kids rate the activities and repeat the ones that get good marks!
- Be sure to make activity an everyday event.
Here are some other ideas for fun family activities to get you started!
- Family Sport-a-thon
Play your favorite sport as a family. For example, take a ball to your local park and have a game of soccer. Join in with other families or ask your kids to invite some friends so that you can play a full game. You can even think of sports off the beaten path like badminton, ping pong, croquet or water polo. Learn the rules and try something new together. - Dance Craze
Dancing is a great form of exercise and all you really need is some music. Let your kids pick the music and teach you some new moves. If you have a kid in dance classes, this is a great opportunity to build self-esteem and reinforce what she’s been learning. You can even have a few weeks of "classes" and build up to a dance competition! - Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt can be a simple way to encourage outdoor play and exploration. Go to a local park, stay in your own backyard or create a scavenger hunt inside your home. You can make a list of commonly found natural objects if you’re outdoors or hide small toys. Once you have everything on the list, you "win." - Let’s take a trip to…
Get out the map or scour the internet for local historic landmarks, attractions or forests and go explore your community. This can be as simple as a trip to a local zoo, library or museum, or as involved as a weekend camping trip. Your family will have a great time discovering things together! - Plant a Garden
Watching things grow is fun for the whole family. Plant a garden together in a large container or your yard. You can teach your kids about soil preparation and the growth process and they will have the opportunity to get their hands dirty. Flowers, vegetables and herbs are great to grow because you can use them for decorating or cooking, allowing kids to see (or taste) the outcome of the growth process. - Off to the Races!
Have a family race! Let your kids determine an appropriate way to even the playing field. Maybe Mom and Dad could have to run a three-legged race to slow them down. Or, older brothers and sisters might have to hop on one foot every four strides to slow them down. You could even try a family relay race with neighbors and friends.
