Exercising as a family can strengthen your bond with your kids. Outdoor activities help them gain a curiosity and appreciation for nature while building strength, resistance and endurance. It’s also much more fun than staying indoors. But what exercises should kids do and how often should they get movement?
Read on for more about the ideal duration for kiddies’ workouts and five of the most fun fitness exercises your kids will love.
Why Is Exercise Important for Kids?
Kids have a lot of energy and naturally enjoy movement in many forms. Making the time and space to help your children get enough exercise is essential. Not only does it help them stay fit and gain mental clarity, but it also helps them form a healthy relationship with exercise and appreciate their body’s amazing capabilities.
Kids of all abilities can and should reap the rewards of exercise. Here are some of the major benefits:
- Regular aerobic movements can lower their chances of getting type 2 diabetes.
- Conditioning and strength training exercises can contribute toward stronger bones, more muscle and leaner bodies, which lowers the risk of becoming overweight.
- Fun exercises improve mood by increasing dopamine and can help kids build a better outlook on life.
- Exercise can protect children from developing anxiety, depression and attention challenges.
The Most Fun Exercises for Kids
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children between 6 and 18 years old get 60 minutes or more of physical activity every day. Of course, different age groups have varying activity levels and it’s important to select appropriate movement forms. For example, children younger than 6 require three hours of daily activity, but this doesn’t have to be squats or push-ups — just moving around and having fun is all they need.
Here are five of the top exercises for kids to ensure maximum fun and fitness.
1. Jumping
Jumping builds cardiovascular endurance and muscle strength and it’s super duper fun! Of course, jumping on the couch is off-bounds so here are some cool jumping activities that your kids will love:
- Jumping jacks: Arms and legs stretch out as they jump out like a starfish. On the second jump, arms and legs return to the center. Repeat up to 15 times. You can make this super exciting by putting on some ocean-themed music and pretending you are all starfish jumping around in the water — it may not be scientifically accurate, but it’s 100% fun!
- Frog jumps: Stand in a wide stance and squat down. Then, push the feet into the ground and jump explosively. Want to make this more fun? Get your kids to all squat down, tucking their heads under their elbows. Then have them take turns jumping over each other while they “ribbit” like frogs. It can also be played as a solo game by getting your kid to hop over a sequence of cushions placed on the grass.
- Hurdle jumps: Lay a set of “hurdles” on the ground. Make sure they’re soft and safe to jump over. Get your kids to jump side-to-side or front-to-back to get over the hurdles. You can make a race of it and see who gets to the finish line first.
2. Dance Party
There is nothing more fun than a dance party! Kids of all abilities can get involved in this aerobic exercise that improves the respiratory system and gets the blood pumping. Ask your kids for a list of their favorite songs and get the whole family together for the ultimate dance showdown.
The great thing about a dance party is that it can be universally accessible. Swaying to the beat and singing along gets the body moving and grooving. Make sure that if your kids use any personal mobility devices, their equipment is in its proper safe mode with locks or brakes engaged.
It’s the perfect way to ensure they get some movement in. Be sure to get the camera out and take some videos of their adorable dance moves!
3. Running
Regular exercises like running can improve fitness levels which is linked to higher arithmetic skills and a stronger ability to concentrate and multitask. Running is the perfect match for kids with endless energy. It‘s an excellent cardio workout and improves stamina, endurance and cardiovascular health. The great thing about running is they can do it anywhere — outside on the grass or inside around the coffee table — they can even do it on the spot.
If you have extra energetic kids, running can quickly turn into jumping on the flowers and crashing into walls. It’s important to add a little order while still keeping the fun intact. A relay race is an excellent way to keep the running organized. You could also create a fun obstacle course that not only helps them build endurance but also improves their coordination. Here’s a sequence that you can create with things you have at home:
- Run to the garden table.
- Build a set of LEGO into a six-tier tower.
- Climb under the table and run to the front door.
- Frog-jump from the front door back to the table.
- Grab the LEGO tower, and whoever hands it to you first will be the winner.
4. Ball Games
Ball games create some of the best outdoor exercises for kids. They help with hand-to-eye coordination and improve balance. As a bonus, kids love games involving a ball. A simple game of catch is always fun but you can take it up a notch by playing a game of “Monkey in the Middle”. Here’s how to play:
- Two players stand on either side of a single player in the middle.
- The player in the center is the monkey in the middle.
- The two players on either side must throw the ball over the middle player’s head.
- If the middle player catches the ball, they get to trade places with either of the two side players.
- The replaced side player then moves to the middle and they become the monkey in the middle.
- You can play this game as many times as you like and kids absolutely love it.
5. Household Chore Games
Activities like sweeping, mopping and scrubbing can offer light-to-moderate cardio intensity and also help build motor skills. Getting kids involved in household chores teaches them about responsibility and the value of teamwork. Making household chores fun helps them stay fit and creates a positive attitude toward cleanliness. But how can you make chores fun?
The easiest way to make household chore games is to see who can do their chores the fastest. You can split up into teams or work solo and the one who finishes first gets a prize. A really cool idea is to write a bunch of possible prizes like an ice cream trip or one hour of screen time onto little post-its and stick it into a hat. Have the winner pick one of the ‘prizes’ from the hat.
Have Fun Working out With Your Kids!
Get involved in the outdoor workouts with your kids. Show them how fun it is to move your body and push yourself. You may not realize it but those dance parties and frog jumps you do together are teaching them irreplaceable lessons about how strong they are. Studies show that lifestyles learned during childhood are more likely to stick with a person as an adult. So, don’t be afraid to enjoy exercising with your kids and let those moves out!
