5 Ways to Stay Active With Kids

Schools out and summer break is in session! Finally - YESS!! Finding ways to keep our kids active this summer is on me and it is time to turn up the creativity!

Physical activity is very important, most children require 60 minutes a day. As adults we are recommended to get 30 minutes most days of the week (unfortunately these requirements are not always being met).

Staying active helps improve sleep quality, helps maintain a healthy weight, and helps with mood and behavior.

Some of our favourite ways to stay active as a family are:

1. Get Outside!

Go outside, get some fresh air, get your body moving, and enjoy the outdoors! We love going on family bike rides, walks, and hikes. Be sure to pack some healthy snacks and water.

2. Turn screen time into physical activity.

I know we can get busy, sometimes we give our children an hour of screen time and it turns into more. Yes, we are all guilty of this! I like turning on things like "Go Noodle", "Cosmic Kids", or other videos to get them moving their little bodies!

3. Crank up the music and have a dance party!!

No judgement here Mama (or dad). Crank your favourite music and dance like nobody is watching. And if they are, who cares!

We have a few playlists and they are a combination of our 90's music, the kids favourites, and our favorite punjabi music.

4. Create a circut (WOD).

We have a whiteboard set up in our garage that my husband and I write out our workouts on. The kids also use this board to create their own workouts. They love coming up with their own routine, "baby crossfit" type of WOD (workout of the day). We use this time as an opportunity to teach them new exercises and proper form.

5. Play a sport with the kids.

We joined Jiu Jitsu as a family. Outside of class we roll together on the mats at home, practicing the moves, streching, etc.

You do not need to join a sport, simply get a ball and play basketball or soccer. Even if the kids say they don't want to play, kick/throw them the ball. Sometimes the simple act of getting started will set the mood and get them moving!

As parents we set the expectations, we are role models. What we do sets the norm for our children. Be active, eat well, and take care of your physical and mental health. Our kids are always watching.

For some nourishing smoothies to enjoy after all that activity see some of our family favorites:

Post Workout Smoothie

Berry Good Smoothie

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Smoothie