Exercise ideas for the whole family this holiday season

The holiday feasts and festivities may be in full swing but don’t forget to exercise! Wondering how to work off all the turkey and treats you’re consuming? Put the panic on hold. The following easy-peasy kids exercises will have your munchkins will be moving and grooving in no time…

Walking (or running) with the family dogs

Dogs need walks and kids need exercise.  Let the kids take over walking the family pet if it’s safe, which also leaves you with one less thing to do after work! Of course, this isn’t recommended if the dog is too large for your child to manage. However, if you have a small dog, this is the perfect chance to take care of a daily chore. This exercise idea also spreads some tasks around the household and teaches kids responsibility.

Playing dance video games

From enrolling in kids’ dance classes at a local studio to playing some dance video games on the family TV, there’s no excuse not to dance! With games like Just Dance for Wii and PlayStation and Dance Central for Xbox, it’s easy to bring the dance party home. Just make sure you have enough space.

BunnyJacks

Despite the silly name, this workout is intense. It really works those little legs and gets the blood flowing. To do a BunnyJack, you can hop around a large space, or perform it while standing in place. One rep is hopping like a bunny twice and then doing a regular jumping jack. This kid’s exercise is best performed while wearing bunny ears. Serve a snack of baby carrot sticks immediately after!

Create a home obstacle course

Next time you find yourself at the discount store, head over to the toy aisle and pick up some hula hoops, pool noodles, small plastic cones, and other things to create a course for your little one to work through. Give them fun themes. Case in point? Pretend your secret agents who have to sneak through a busy train station without being noticed. Imagination is the key to this kids’ exercise.

Hula hooping weight loss/fitness activity

Hula hooping is making a comeback as a great weight loss/fitness activity. It’s also a super awesome exercise idea for kids. The best way to get the most out of this workout is by making your own hula hoops. This combines fitness and arts and crafts into one activity-filled day.

To make a hula hoop, pick up some polypropylene tubing from Home Depot, or whichever hardware store is closest to you. You’ll also want to pick up some tube fittings as well. Once you have these two things, buy some tube scissors or just use regular house scissors. Tube scissors make cutting a little easier, but can be pricey.

Next, head over to an art supply shop, and grab some fun colored, skinny duct tape for decorating your hoop! The last stop is the grocery store. If you don’t mind a little bit of rattle in your hoop, pick up a bag of rice. This also helps to add some weight to your hoop, to keep it spinning longer.

WARNING: To avoid hip bruising, hoops should never weigh more than two pounds. For a small child, a quarter of a pound should be plenty. Measure out the rice, use a funnel or a paper cone to get it in the tube, and use the connector to seal it together.

Then get started decorating. Once the hoop is finished, have a contest to see who can keep it going for the longest. Or check out some videos on YouTube, and learn some neat hoop tricks!

Host a playground triathlon

Kick as high as you can on the swing 30 times. Go up and down the slide 15 times. Spin on the merry-go-round until you get dizzy. Then bring it home by collapsing in the sandbox, in a tired but victorious heap. With multiple kids, you can time them, and make some ribbons in advance for winners. This kids’ exercise is recommended for the warmer months, as lots of running is involved.

Biking with the whole family

For those in those wintery climates, this may have to wait a few months. However if you live in a sunnier part of the world, hop to it. Biking trails are becoming more popular, especially in more urban cities, so grab your helmets and get going. Bike to the beach, to school, to the grocery store.

Or just find a nice trail to bike through and watch the sunset. Biking isn’t just an exercise for kids, it’s great for the whole family. It reduces your carbon footprint, and burns loads of calories!

We hope these exercises for kids make fitness fun for your family. At Dance to EvOLve, we believe that working out should never feel like a chore. Now go get fit and have some fun!