First, do the prep work:
Children Love Doing Things Together!
As a first step, make sure you get a cool crew in on the fun. Get active as a family, with friends, or as a group. Whatever activity you choose, you should join in and have fun with your kids! Can’t partake? Enlist some friends to come along for the ride!
Keep the Activity Age Appropriate
If a child can’t keep up, he’ll lose interest and give up. Make sure you are allowing your child the chance to be successful in the task or game at hand. He’ll have more fun and will be more likely to want to try the activity again.
Dress the Part!
It’s hard for kids to get in on the action if they’re wearing non supportive shoes like flip flops or heels, or inappropriate clothing. If you think you’ll be moving more, encourage your kids to dress in comfy clothes or bring an extra set with you.
Once you’re prepped, choose the activity. Traditional games like Kickball and Red Rover are great fun, but an activity doesn’t have to be athletic in nature to be considered a great workout. Here are some creative ideas to help keep your kids sweating on the sly:
It’s Showtime!
Have your budding stars put on a dance show! Help your children figure out what type of music will get their toes tapping and pick out some tunes that will get them pumped. Have them practice a routine that involves plies, twirls, jumps and spins, and make sure they get lots of practice (more rehearsal time means more movement). Then, organize a show and have the kids perform their carefully-practiced routine for grandparents, neighbors, or friends.
In The Ring!
Not into violence? No problem. Your kid doesn’t have to actually wrestle to pretend play a WWE wrestler on TV. Let him choose his favorite Superstar and have him make up a workout routine that he thinks the Superstar does to keep himself fit. Assemble a routine of jumps, kicks, lunges, crunches to make your champ an even healthier champ!
Suds R’ Us!
Getting squirted with water, making huge piles of suds, hanging out with friends and family—what more would kids want on a warm day? Washing the car will keep them bending, stretching, reaching and lifting (and bonus: you get a clean car)!
Little Red Wagon
Get your child moving and help the community too Give your child a hand with collecting items to donate to charity by going door-to-door in your neighborhood. Used books, old clothes and canned food can all be donated to local organizations. You’ll be doing good for the body and good for the soul.
