To kick off your multiperson movement dreams, start by (1) taking a stroll. Simply going for a walk around the block with a family member can make it easier to connect.
“When you go for a walk, it brings your stress level down, so you can think a little more clearly and begin to move through your feelings,” says therapist Jennifer Udler, LCSW-C, author of Walk and Talk Therapy: A Clinician’s Guide to Incorporating Movement and Nature Into Your Practice.
“What’s unique about walking with someone else is that you’re seeing more of that person — their body language, their pace, their energy. There’s a bit of vulnerability in that, but that’s also how we learn to trust, grow, and build relationships.”
If your group includes young kids or skeptical movers, start small. “The first best thing you can do is just walk out your front door,” suggests James Edward Mills, founder of the Joy Trip Project and author of The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors. Then consider the relevance of your walk to everyone in your group: “Ask yourself, What are they going to get out of it?”
(To learn about all the amazing and wonderful benefits walking has to offer, visit “The Powerful Health Benefits of Walking.”)
One way to get your group on board is to (2) choose a destination that you can agree on — this can be as simple as walking with your kids to the ice cream shop.
Explore other ways to get to your destination. You can (3) go for a bike ride, or maybe the variety of ages and abilities in your group means everyone goes their own way: a combination of (4) scootering, stroller pushing, dog walking, wagon pulling, wheelchair rolling — whatever works!
Life Time personal trainer Anna Taylor and her husband (5) run intervals, pausing for catch-up breaks at stop signs while their three young children ride their bikes.
Expand your surroundings and (6) go for a nature walk in your local forest, arboretum, or preserve. “Being outside in nature offers a direct connection with the natural world and the balanced rhythms of life on our planet,” says Mills. “When we have the ability to share and express our love of nature and love of the people around us, it has an exponentially compounding effect.”
Instead of focusing on the destination or reward at the end, mix things up, slow it down, and appreciate the journey. (7) Do a scavenger hunt in which everyone collects items or takes pictures of the things on the list. (8) Get a book of birds and see how many you can spot, or (9) make a journal of plants you see and use an app to identify them.
To keep it relevant for your sporty kid, (10) bring a ball and try kicking it along the trail. Or head off trail and (11) play the floor is lava, trying to make your way around an area without touching the ground. Or (12) make up your own obstacle course incorporating your surroundings — trees are great for climbing, hanging, and balancing.
You can all work as a team and collect branches to (13) build a fort. Kids’ imaginations run wild in natural settings, so you might find yourself playing a role in their make-believe schemes, whether it’s (14) seeking out unicorns or (15) escaping from pirates!
If your group includes some explorers, they might enjoy (16) geocaching, using GPS tracking units to locate containers or caches at specific coordinates on a map. Your teenager and a grandparent may be equally enthusiastic about (17) searching for treasures with a metal detector.
Be sure to bring water and snacks, wear the right clothing for your activity, and don’t forget the sunscreen and bug spray. Plus, be wary of poison ivy and remember to check for ticks.
“One important thing, perhaps more than anything else, is to make all your experiences manageable,” says Mills. “The minute it becomes complicated, it becomes burdensome and less pleasurable.”
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.
