Modifying your home environment is one of the simplest ways to make movement more accessible, says Bowman. Start by (1) prioritizing open space to dance, tumble, or play safely. Even if your home doesn’t feature a big floorplan, you can (2) minimize your furniture to reduce time spent sitting in chairs.
Bowman also notes, “Check in with your (3) spoken and unspoken rules about movement and adjust as necessary. How often do you tell your kids to sit down? To stop running or jumping? Sometimes these rules need to be in place, but other times they don’t.”
Being open to playfulness and spontaneity sends your kids the message that movement and exercise are things we can do anywhere, anytime. “I think the important thing is we don’t associate fitness only with the gym,” says Jacob Rivera, CSCS, USAW, performance manager with Children’s Health Andrews Institute Sports Performance powered by EXOS. “Associating fitness with [all the] ways we can move is really key.”
The next time everyone is acting stir crazy, clear some space and (4) initiate a pillow fight. Or (5) set up an obstacle course that spans your home and ask the kids to help design the obstacles. You can crawl under chairs, jump over cushions, and tightrope-walk on floorboards.
Accessorize your home with hanging elements so everyone can work on grip and upper-body strength. “There are lots of kits that allow you to (6) add rings or a hanging bar on strong beams,” says Bowman. “Now we have a few rock-climbing holds on one beam and a chin-up bar in the doorway. It’s an inexpensive way to add grip-, arm-, and shoulder-strength time throughout the day.”
(7) Give your kids “rides.” A few you can try are wheelbarrows (hold their feet while they walk on their hands), mechanical bull (they try to hold on while you wriggle around on all fours), and piggyback rides. Or incorporate your littles into your workout: (8) Play the over/under game, during which you assume plank, downward-facing dog, or another position and your kids (and possibly pets) climb over or under you.
You can (9) squat with your toddler (get creative: do a body-weight squat when your kiddo does, or squat while holding them), or (10) do pushups alongside your teenager. When working out with kids, keep it lighthearted and lower your expectations. Rather than counting reps and sets, just get everyone moving.
Put on some upbeat music and (11) have an after-dinner dance party. You can watch a YouTube or TikTok video and learn how to do a (12) dance together. Some gaming consoles have multiplayer dance or sports games, so you can (13) swap sedentary screen time for Just Dance or EA Sports.
Play an active old-school game like (14) Twister and get tangled up together. Grab a pair of dice and play a (15) workout game: Label the sides of one die with exercises; on the other die, indicate the number of reps.
(16) Ground your everyday activities. Move your kitchen table, spread out a blanket, and have a picnic in the kitchen. If you play games as a family in the evenings, move them to the floor. “This is an easy way for everyone to stretch any desk-chair or work-chair tension from their body while also getting that family connection,” says Bowman.
Move More as a Family
Movement connects and brings us together, cutting across generational lines and sparking joy and camaraderie. Give some of these ideas at “100 Ways to Move as a Family” (from which this article was excerpted) a try as you get active with your family, friends, and community.
