Physical activity as a family
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EmailTake small steps and create goals to increase your family’s physical activity.
As the weather warms, begin thinking about
how you might add more physical activity to your family’s routine. Michigan State University Extension recommends goals in which success is guaranteed from the start. As you meet those early physical activity goals, increase the challenge for yourself.
Being physically active can be a family event. Challenge your children and yourself to think of small, fun ways to be more active. Require that the activity must take less than 10 minutes if you’re short on time. Maybe you’re recovering from an injury and running isn’t an option, t Think of ways games can be modified to make them work for all levels of fitness. The list below are activities that you may already be doing, or that you could easily add to your family’s schedule:
- Dance with your kids
- Play an active game of charades
- Get active during commercials while watching television together
- Make yardwork a family activity - raking, weeding or planting
- Wash the car together
- Take a walk before watching a movie together
- Take a walk after a family meal
- Practice your kids’ sports at home
- Let each family member choose an exercise and repeat it 10 times
Accountability is important when starting new physical activity goals. If you set goals as a family, you can be accountable to each other. Keep track on a calendar when your family will engage in physical activity together. Use this as a guide to meet current goals and to set future ones. Families can also encourage each other to be more active. This can be a way for your family, especially your children to find ways to be physically active that fit your life and that they enjoy.
