Autumn is right around the corner, with winter stepping on its heels, which means it’s going to get harder to keep kids active. When it’s too cold for the little ones to get outside, we tend to settle for stationary play time and time spent loafing in front of the TV as a family. This can be a huge danger to their health though. Luckily, there are numerous ways to keep your kids active when the weather is blustery and it feels like they don’t want to do anything but play videogames. Here’s ten quick exercise ideas that won’t leave your budget spent, nor will it cause you to have to beg your children to get up and moving.
1. Childhood Yoga
If you do yoga then you already know the amazing health benefits it can have. If you don’t then there’s no better time to begin this amazing activity than with your children. Doing yoga together will help you all enjoy getting fit together, while teaching you peace of mind and patience. There are many yoga moves that are beneficial for children and have even been known to help with temperaments as well as behavioral problems. You can easily find a childhood yoga video online for free, so you don’t even have to worry about spending a penny. It doesn’t matter if you’re working with an infant or a teenager either, as there is a little something for every age group. Before long, the whole family will feel amazing and you’ll fall in love with the healthy path you have set them on in life.
2. Sock Skating
There’s nothing quite as fun as a day of skating with the kids, but when the weather is rough the only option you have is to go to a skating rink, which can be pricey. However, there is a great way you can skate indoors without using anything but a pair of socks. Most hard floors are slick as it is, so have your kids grab a pair of socks and have it. You may need to move around some furniture, but before you know it you’ll have kids sliding around the floor with the greatest of ease. You can even hold races or trick competitions to help them stay into the activity. If your kids are very young or clumsy, you may consider putting on some protective gear though, just to make sure there won’t be any major injuries when it comes to this fun game. While skating, kids will get their heartrates up and they’ll have to use their muscles to push themselves and their core to maintain balance.
3. Dance Party
Another easy and cheap way to get kids off the couch and onto their feet is to hold a dance party. All you need for this activity is plenty of space for your kids to move around and an awesome playlist. Before the party begins you may even ask the kids to help you pick what music they would like to dance along to. This will make them feel included in the activity, which will make them want to join in on the fun even more. If you’re extending the dance party to friends, family and neighbors then allow the kids to add some decorations to spice up the fun. You can even bring down a disco ball or other fun light to help set the mood. Most kids will love to dance without instruction, but if you have wallflowers or you simply want to make the exercise more aerobic then consider adding a few exercises to the choreography.
4. Basic Warm Ups
Although it may be hard to get kids to do basic exercises like pushups, pulls ups, squats and stretches, you may find that making it into a competition makes this a great indoor activity. You can easily set a goal for each child to meet for the end of the week and the child who completes the goal earns a special prize. If you don’t want to pass out prizes to every child each week then consider giving a prize to the child who can do the most in a specific area. This will motivate the kids to push themselves harder, so they can get more exercise in each day. Plus, if you have your children doing basic warm ups every single day then they should form the habit of doing them. This will come in handy later in life when they are busy at work and feel they don’t have time for the gym. Plus, it will also help out with their Physical Fitness exams in school, which always makes life a little easier.
5. Sock Fight
There’s no doubt, dodgeball is a timeless classic that will allows children of all ages to have a blast while getting to play ball inside. Although you may not want a P.E. class quality game of dodge ball going on in your living room, the concept is an intriguing way to help your kids get the exercise they need. You can easily choose one day of the month for the kids to have an epic sock battle. On this day, everyone can chip in to move around furniture, collect socks and then clean up the aftermath. Socks shouldn’t cause damage to your fragile items at home, nor should they cause injury to the children when they’re playing. If you don’t have enough socks to make the battle worthwhile then consider adding in nerf balls or smaller stuffed animals to the mix. Your kids will have blast playing together and it may even help improve sibling relationships while building muscles in the arms and burning calories.
6. Relay Races
A lot of children really connect with relay races, which is why so many summer and school programs add them into the curriculum. Relay races don’t have to be all about the outdoors though as there’s many races you can try out indoors. For instance, you can have the kids compete or split up into teams. Then hide a few objects upstairs. Each round a child must run to find the object and come back before his or her competitor does. Other than that, you can set up easy to clean up obstacles that will allow your kids to work their muscles and cardio system in order to finish them. If you’re not sure where to begin with the relay races then have a look online. You should be able to find lots of creative ideas that may inspire many more of your own. You can also let the kids design their own relay races within reason. The more the kids do the races and participate in their creation, the easier it will be to get them up and moving.
7. Game Console
You probably don’t ever have to beg your children to get on their gaming consoles, so why not use this method of entertainment to help them get some exercise too? Most gaming platforms now create games that follow movements and help promote exercise, blatantly or on a more discreet note. You can find games for dancing, Zumba, martial arts, yoga and so much more. So, if you have a child who is already into a specific activity then you can go this route to inspire them to exercise more. Kids who love sports are in luck too. You can find really cheap games that will let them participate in bowling, hockey, tennis, soccer, golf and so much more. There are even games for kids who aren’t really into sports or specific workouts. For instance, kids can climb mountains, fly space shuttles and even tackle the rapids in an extreme river. Without a doubt, you should be able to find something for everyone.
8. Martial Arts
Ensuring that your children know how to protect themselves is pretty important, especially in this day and age. Martial arts is a great activity that can help burn off some energy, strengthen the body and teach disciple and self-protection. Sure, it may be wise to sign your child up for classes if you truly want them to learn how to protect themselves properly. Usually these classes won’t cost an arm and a leg and they take place indoors, so your child won’t have to give up the activity in the autumn and winter. However, if you’re looking for an easy way to get your kids to exercise then you can look up free martial arts videos online. This will teach your children a few moves while helping them get in some great exercise when they can’t run around outdoors.
9. Cleaning
The kids may not be too happy when you suggest they get up and help clean on a weekend, but this is one great way to kill two birds with one stone. On the plus side, the house will end up clean and organized and the children will have been on their feet moving all day long. If you can plan clean days once a month then your home shouldn’t need to go through the annual spring cleaning routine that takes up so much time when the weather is nice. Start on the easy side by having the kids do their chores and clean up their rooms from top to bottom. Once the house is on a cleaner note then add in tasks like organizing closets or going through old boxes of toys and clothes. You might even bring a little more feng shui into the house. Before you know it, your home will be clutter free and the kids will have burned off plenty of energy doing it.
10. Visit Activity Center
Sometimes, when it’s cold outside, it’s simply nice to get out of the house to avoid the feelings of cabin fever. An activity center is a great place to go to help your kids get in some exercise without forcing them to stay cooped up in your home all day. If you can try to get the kids to an activity center once a week, they should find exercise easier and more appealing. Places like the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club provide plenty of low cost to free activities that will keep your children stay fit and entertained while the weather storms around them. You may even be able to simply let them have free time at the center to socialize and play actively with other children. This will show them that exercise can be fun and that loafing around isn’t always the best route to take.
Teaching your kids to love exercise can be really hard when the weather isn’t on your side. These ten ideas should help you find free to low cost ways to get the kids moving with little effort on your end. Before you know it, your home will be more active and everyone will feel healthier and happier, which could even help your home beat cold and flu season!
