Cheap Workout Ideas with your Children!

Susan Brannon
21 June 2011
How Do I Get My Children to Participate in Exercise?

Helping your children to get into the habit of exercise is the best thing that you can do for their health, better sleep, increasing grades and feeling happier!  As stated in my article “Children and Media: Effects and Tips on cutting down”  It is proven that the average child ages 6-11 watches 28 hours a week of TV, plus more!  Exercising can help get them (and you) off of the couch and live a healthier life!

Be A Role Model:
The best thing that you can do for your child is to role model, the importance of daily exercise. As stated in the Benefits of Exercise, these benefits also pertain to your children!  They will do better in school, sleep better, be less worried about friends and social concerns and you will have quality time together, which seems to be lacking in our society these days.

Make it Fun:
The most important thing is to make exercise fun!  You can create family time through exercise no matter the age, become a positive role model for your children.  Pull your teenager away from Facebook, video games and the TV.  Don’t let them rule your world, you are the parent and it is the best thing for your child to teach them life balance!  They will thank you for it later.

Suggestions:
•    Walks.  Walking is relaxing, creates a good time for family conversations and getting to know each other again. 
•    Listen to your children while walking and let them talk to you.  It is important to feel heard and in feeling heard, they will gain in their self -confidence. 
•    Buy jump ropes!  It is a great exercise and cheap.  Create games with the jump ropes.  (You will find that your child can go for a longer time than you!)
•    Ride bicycles together to a part and pack a lunch
•    Exercise during commercials, 10 jumping jacks, 5 push up, leg stretches…each and every time a commercial comes on.  Include everyone in your family.
•    When cleaning the house, turn on the music and have them help you! 
•    Take family hikes, pack snacks and a lunch
•    Walk with your child to school before and after school.  Do one or the other, on the way to work, or after work.
•    Turn on the music and have them teach you the latest dance steps.
•    Learn ballet together buy a video to install into your TV!  Do this three times a week.
•    Practice on Yoga together!
•    If your child is older, help coach a sports team.  (The cost is not too high)

Include daily exercise with your child and make the time to be innovative.  Teach them how you can incorporate daily activities with exercise!  This one valuable lesson you can teach your child and it can help to create a happier and healthier family in today’s world.

Related Articles:
Children and Media: Effects and How to Cut Down