Family Workouts that Appeal to All Ages in Quarantine

I’m proud to bring you this guest post about family workouts for all ages in quarantine. These are great tips on how all ages can stay active and healthy. I love seeing how families have been bonding together in this time to improve their health and fitness. It is so important to raise our kids to be healthy and happy adults. Staying active, even in such a hard time, is essential and I want to help you learn how to do it.

Family Workouts that Appeal to All Ages in Quarantine

written by: Dominic LoBianco

Most people understand the positive effects exercise can have on their mental and physical well-being. However, exercise can mean different things to people of different age groups or levels of fitness. Making sure you and your family get the daily exercise you need has likely been a little more complicated recently due to the shelter in place protocol implemented as part of the COVID-19 response. The good news is there are a number of activities that can provide all members of your family with the exercise they need even while quarantining.

Walking

Whether you take a moment to cruise your own neighborhood or share a trek to the store together, adding a brisk walk to your daily list of family activities will benefit you all. A daily walk will also provide an opportunity for you and the members of your family to engage in good conversation while enjoying the scenery you pass. Be sure that you continue to follow any social distancing regulations that are necessary while enjoying your daily walk with your family.

Dancing

No one said that your daily exercise had to be formal or void of fun and laughter. You and your family can get the exercise you need by dancing together for 30 minutes or so a few times a week. There are many ways that dancing can be added to the regular activities you enjoy with your family. Some suggestions include enjoying popular games that include dancing, turning daily chore time into dance parties, or simply playing your favorite music and demonstrating your best dance moves to each other.

Make Use of Commercial Breaks

Many families spend regular time together watching television. The regular commercial breaks that happen during your favorite family programs can be used to satisfy your exercise needs. Make a list of exercises you can do as a family during commercial breaks. These can include common exercises like sit-ups, push-ups, and squats. You can also change the names of these exercises to sillier names that will increase the fun.

Yard Work

When the autumn season causes leaves to fall in your yard, you and your family can wait for a windy day to enjoy the leave catching game. You can assign different points to different color leaves and set a time limit for the competition. The family member who has accumulated the most points in the agreed-upon time period is the winner. You can then rake the leaves in a pile and have fun jumping over them. You can use your imagination to create similar games to accommodate snow or can be played during times of the year that include less inclement weather.

Gardening

More than likely, your children will not have a problem digging in the dirt. You can take advantage of this by allowing them to turn the soil over while you perform plantings. Gardening has demonstrated the ability to prevent osteoporosis as effectively as weight training. An added benefit of gardening is your kids are more likely to eat the vegetables you serve them if they take part in growing them.

Walk the Family Dog

One study on obesity conducted by a respected organization found that dog owners enjoyed their weight-loss efforts more than people who did not own dogs. The study also showed that dog owners were more likely to maintain their weight loss.

Swimming

Swimming is a low-impact exercise opportunity that will provide a workout for your entire body. A swimming pool also opens the door for many hours of family fun. You and the members of your family can swim laps, take part in relay races, or play a number of games while enjoying your time in the water.

Ride Your Bikes

Cycling is another fun activity that is a great way for every member of your family to receive the exercise their bodies need. You can join other members of your while biking the neighborhood together after an evening meal or explore local trails and parks. Just make sure you practice all applicable biking safety habits and do not forget social distancing protocols.

Final Thoughts

Exercise can be the game changer in your efforts to ensure the health and happiness of your family. The exercise your family needs can also be delivered in a way that will enrich the time you spend together. The eight exercise activities above are a great place to start for families in search of exercise they can enjoy together while dealing with the fallout of the quarantine.

Author Bio

Dominic is a contributing author on behalf of Fitness19. Dominic covers a wide array of topics ranging from posture tips in your home office to the importance of hydration.