Parents today often recall their childhood memories of spending time outdoors. Running around the backyard, cycling with friends, and climbing up their tree houses! Nowadays, children are immersed in their gadgets and rarely have the opportunity to play in playgrounds. With childhood obesity turning into an epidemic, it has become important that children are introduced to an active lifestyle.

Exercise is great for all ages. At least 60 minutes of physical activity is recommended for children. Adults make time for their fitness at a gym but exercising with children is a whole different ball game! Exercise ideas for kids need to incorporate fun elements as well as take into account the physical limitations of their young growing bodies. The best way to get children to exercise is to exercise with them! You will become a great role model for them and get fit yourself. Here are some ideas on how to workout with kids:

• Pick up a sport – One of the best ways to get physically active is to play sports. If you have older children, you can play sports like badminton, tennis and squash. Sports like football are also a great way to get some running done, and these sports are enjoyed by young kids too.
• Take up swimming – Among the different exercises for kids, the best one is swimming. It is a great cardio exercise and helps kids learn coordination. It also builds muscle strength as well as teaches them about water safety. Swimming is perfect for kids of all ages, and with all the splashing around in the pool, you can have fun doing it as well!
• Have a dance party – Most outdoor activities are suitable for the summer, but in the cold winter months the best way to get some exercise for children at home is to dance! You can play your kids’ favorite songs and dance with them. Dancing is a wonderful aerobic exercise, and you can lose more than 250 calories in an hour of dancing.
• Plan active weekends – Weekends often tend to be lazy days with takeouts and TV binges. Instead, you can plan fun and exciting weekends which your kids will look forward to. Go on holidays and take up activities like cycling or hiking and make it a weekly tradition. Also, once in awhile, you could go for an overnight camping trip.
• Walk everywhere – Walking is one of the easiest exercise ideas for kids. You can walk at their pace, it’s completely natural, and you don’t have to worry about stressing your kids out. Make a habit of walking to the grocery store or school. If that’s not possible, then go for an evening walk after dinner. You will get some quality time with your children and they will be glad to share their day with you!
• Participate in community events – You should sign up for local and community charity events, like a run or walk for awareness. You can plan and prepare ahead for this with your kids and make sure that you get your daily dose of physical activity. Furthermore, with participating in community events, you can also portray the importance of giving back to the community to your kids.
• Make household chores fun – It can be difficult to squeeze in time for exercising every day with children, especially if you don’t have extra help around the house. In this situation, you can finish your household chores and get your kids moving at the same time. Make up games or challenges around activities. For example, challenge your kids to time how fast they clear up their toys!
• Set up a home garden – Gardening involves a lot of physical activity like squatting, lifting and stretching – making it a great exercise for children. If you have a big backyard, you can set up your own organic kitchen garden, but if you live in an apartment, even getting a few pots will be useful. You can put the kids in charge of watering the plants. They will love watching the plants grow and bloom.
• Take active TV breaks – You just cannot do away with watching TV. Instead, make TV viewing an active time. This is the perfect time to do low impact floor exercises like touching toes, squats or jogging. You can make it more fun by having a ‘fitness jar’ filled up with folded notes that have names of exercises written on them. Your kids and you have to do the exercise that’s on the note you pulled out!
• Head to the playground – You can invent new games and activities that involve running and jumping. You can also play the age old hide and seek, play catch, or enjoy a game of throw ball. You can take turns with other parents at the playground and organize games for all the kids together.

Exercising with children is a lot of fun and will help you bond with your kids. So, be a role model for your kids and enjoy these exercises with them.

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