Fun activities that will get your family moving at every age.

As your family grows it can get tougher to find the time to get in a great workout. All that me-time that you used to enjoy disappears as quickly as you can say “pass the nappy bag”. But staying active and healthy isn’t something that’s only for grownups. By involving children in physical activity from an early age, you improve the chances that they will grow into active, healthy adults. I’m not saying that should put your toddler through a complex HIIT routine every morning, that’s likely to end in tears and tantrums from both of you. But you can choose age-appropriate activities that keep your whole family healthy and happy.

I’ve brought together some of my top workout ideas for kids of every age, below.

For Babies…

If your little one is very little indeed, then you need to choose activities that are complementary to their age group. Walking or jogging with the pram is a great way to add a little resistance to your cardio, and you can buy special jogging pushchairs designed especially for this. (Jogging with a pram is only recommended after your baby is 6 months old.) This is also a great way for mums to ease back into activity after recovering from birth. Look out for local baby groups with a focus on exercise, many areas now offer parent and baby workout classes.

For Toddlers…

Working out while supervising a curious toddler can be quite a challenge, so your best bet is to choose fun activities that help them feel involved. Dancing is a great way to sweat off a few calories and encourage your little one to explore movement. You could also try a bodyweight workout that sees them become your workout buddy. Have them sing a special workout song or reward you with a cuddle every time you complete a certain number of reps. The key is to make them feel like an important part of the process.

For Under 10s…

As your child grows, they will gain greater control over their body and may want to join you in a more structured workout. Head to the park and make the outdoor environment your own personal gym class. Swing on branches, do push-ups on benches and practice your best bear crawl through the glass. Keep sessions fun, light, and short to stop their interest wandering.

For Teens…

With teens, your biggest problem may be getting them to do anything at all. But often older kids respond to more competitive sports and activities. Hit the basketball court, tennis court or football pitch to get them away from a screen and exercising. Try to schedule your workout at a time that doesn’t clash with friend time or other commitments to ensure activities with you never feel like a chore.

I’d love to know how you encourage your kids to get active. Please share your tips across any of our social media channels and inspire other parents to do the same! As the weather starts to bite and we all retreat indoors, I want to talk about gyms. Should you join? Is it worth it? And how can you make sure you get the most of your membership? Check your inbox next week for a whole lot of gym talk. And if you haven’t subscribed to our newsletter already, what are you waiting for? Just add your email address to the box below to keep up with the FitFusion PT gang. Stay awesome folks, I’ll see you next week.