Working out, whether light or intense, is one of the best and healthiest habits to stick to if you plan to live a long and healthy life. It contributes to the optimal physical growth of an individual during childhood as well as prevents some of the most common physical ailments that come with age and less-than-ideal lifestyle habits. For this reason, the earlier one starts working the better.
If you’re a concerned parent who wants to instill the habit of working out in your young child, the best way to do so is to work out together with them. Not only does it provide for some quality parent-child bonding but also makes it a fun affair for your kid. Here are seven workout activities to do with your kids to get them started on the path to a fit and healthy life.
Running
This is the second most basic movement capability every human learns after walking and also happens to be one of the easiest and most effective workouts both adults and children can do. Running also doesn’t involve too many accessories other than running shoes. In the rare instance, your kid has eyesight problems, you can easily find comfortable kid’s prescription sunglasses online.
Running in the morning before sunrise is an excellent way for both you and your kid to get your blood pumping. The experience can be made even better if there is a hiking trail or park anywhere around where you live.
Jumping
Jumping is another basic but effective exercise that both kids and adults can enjoy both indoors and outdoors. Of course, just jumping on the same spot isn’t fun for long which is why there are a bunch of jumping activities you should do with your kid. Common activities include skipping (which requires a skipping rope), jumping jacks, and burpees.
These are activities all kids enjoy and something that’s definitely beneficial even for adults. If you want to take things to the next level, you can also set up an obstacle course in your own backyard that incorporates a lot of jumps.
Yoga
Though this particular workout activity is usually associated with adults, there’s no rule that says kids can’t start yoga young. In India, the birthplace of yoga, young children are encouraged to take up yoga at an early age in rural areas. If you practice yoga, you can easily start doing it with your child which can end up being a fun time for both you and your kid.
Teaching yoga to young kids can be a bit difficult at first as they need to master breathing exercises that are subtle, but you shouldn’t be having too much of a hard time. Practicing yoga comes with a host of health benefits including good posture, reduced cholesterol levels, and more.
Indoor Ball Games
When the temperature is cold or it’s raining outside, outdoor workout activities isn’t something you and your kids will enjoy. The good news is there are a lot of indoor ball games like table tennis, ping pong battles, indoor basketball hoops, and more that can be a ton of fun and provide the physical activity you and your kids need to stay fit while staying indoors.
Bear Crawls
Bear crawls are an awesome exercise that is fun but taxing. The drawback of this exercise is that both you and your kids need to achieve intermediate-level physical fitness before trying this as it can be quite taxing on the upper body and considered to be more advanced than push-ups according to most physical training experts. However, kids have an easier time mastering it due to their low weight.
To do bear crawls, one has to assume a regular push-up position before using their arms and legs to move forward on the floor as if he/she is trying to scale a mountain. This exercise works out the core, shoulder, hips, and triceps, making it a very useful exercise to add to your routine.
Dancing
Not everyone has a penchant for outdoor activities or intense physical workouts. If your child has delicate health then a wonderful way to ensure his/her physical fitness is dancing which can be both healthy and fun. Don’t focus on training your child in a particular dance disciple, just focus on having a good time and sweating out a bit.
Squats
Squats are an excellent exercise that requires no accessories or equipment at all. Incorporating it in your warmup before any intensive physical activity such as running and jumping is highly advisable as it will help prevent leg injuries for both you and your child. Squats primarily work on the glutes and strengthen the ligaments and tendons of leg muscles.
Instilling Life-long Good Habits
Working out with your kids is an excellent way to ensure your kids stay fit and become health conscious from an early age, which will only benefit them as they grow older. It’s also a good way to bond with your kids, which is something the baby boomer generation did quite well. So if you were thinking about what workout activities to do with your kids, now you know.