Kids and Exercise: Exercising with your Kids… Do you do it ?

If you are any thing like me there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done that you need to. Things fall by the way side but if you understood the benefits of it would you still not make time for it? I took some time to reflect on the things that I am proud of in my life and the things I wish to do better. My kids are involved in sports outside of school but if they are not practicing with me on the off days what good is it really doing them ? So I decided to get the soccer ball out and practice with my kids. I realized that not only did they think it was hilarious to have mom chasing after a ball but we all felt so much happier and relaxed once we came in. With a little planning you could do exercise and involve the kids. And what if I told you about all the amazing benefits of exercise not only for you but for your kids too – would you do it then ?

Regular physical activity has some amazing benefits for both parents and children alike. First, let’s start with the fact that there is a link between regular physical activity and increased immunity which means your family may be better suited to fight off colds and flu. Some other benefits for parents are an increased amount of energy, reduced stress, a boost in your mood, and it helps you maintain a healthy weight – sounds like an amazing scenario to me! Kids who are physically active have stronger muscles, are less likely to become overweight and here’s the real bonus – they sleep better!

So what kind of activities can parents are kids do together? Well that all depends on the age of your child. One way the whole family can exercise together is to spend some time in the pool. Now, don’t expect to be able to do laps but instead play marco polo, or start helping you little one learn how to swim (the monkey wall crawl is good exercise). Another fun activity is to go to the park and push your kids on the swing or climb around the jungle gym with them – don’t just sit on the sidelines and watch anymore. If you just want to stay home then a great activity is to dance! Turn on some music and dance together – it’s amazing how you can work up a sweat just dancing around the house and being silly.

Some other things we do at home are wash the car, play hop scotch, jump rope, and play hide and seek. If you still have a baby then don’t let that stop you – grab your stroller and go for a brisk walk. If the weather is nice bike riding is a wonderful activity and also just taking a walk around the block can be educational as well as good exercise. Now that my kids are a little older we even tried rollerblading or skating together (wow was I sore the next day). My kids love to point out all the dogs, birds, ducks and any other animal that my cross our path. The possibilities are endless – so just try to get out there! New for this spring we are going to register for a run (or walk) event and are already training together for the event (I will let you know how it turns out).

Exercise has some great benefits and ShopaholicMommy knows this. Let us know what kind of exercise you enjoying doing with your kids!

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