5 Ideas for Family Fitness Night

Between work, school, homework and sport’s practice, most days there are more commitments than time to meet them. Sometimes it seems impossible to fit one more thing into the schedule, no matter how good it is for you. If that includes making it to the gym, we’ve got a solution: Turn fitness into a family activity! It’s an excellent way to spend time together, plus it’s a great way to show kids that exercise, in any form, can be fun.

Here are five ideas that will help you turn your family night into a family fitness fun night:

1. Outdoor Fitness Fun. Whether you have a specific destination in mind, or just want to cruise around the neighborhood, head outside for a pre- or post-dinner walk or bike ride. Every city and town has unexplored neighborhoods and areas. TrailLink can help you find nearby biking paths, and it also helps you burn calories while getting a different view of the terrain. What if your little one hasn’t yet mastered traveling on two wheels? A training bike like FirstBIKE — which has a cycle for children ages two to five and a no-stress method of learning to ride — is worth checking out.

2. It’s Always Fun at the YMCA. Your local Y is full of activities and fun for all. Meet other families at the Y’s Family Nights where you can participate in a variety of activities such as mixers, pool games, arts and crafts and family fitness. Find your Y here and see what’s planned in your community.

3. Weekly Sports Night. You’ll get to learn about different sports when you pick a new one to try every week. It’s amazing how many calories you’ll burn and how much fun you will have when you try yoga with the kids or play a rousing a game of basketball. You can also come up with your own creative adaptation of regular sports, such as monkey in the middle soccer. Your kids may even develop new fancy footwork or basketball dribbling skills in the process.

4. Family Challenges and Competitions. Sometimes a little friendly competition between family members is a good incentive to participate. We came up with several entertaining ideas to help you get started:

5. Fit for a Cause. Show the kids the value of exercise and giving back by teaming up for a fundraising race. Many charities offer local races to raise money, or you can bike, walk or run for the charity of your choice with Charity Miles. Volunteering for a community service project, such as cleaning up a park in your neighborhood, is a great way to add some activity to your day, while helping to improve your community. Volunteer Match can help you get started by providing volunteer information and listings in your local area. You’ll be doing your body good for a good cause. It’s a win-win.

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