Especially if you have small children, your workout time may be limited if you are a parent. A parent, sitter, or partner can take charge of the children in case an early morning, late night, or when the kids are participating in some activity can be the best times for solo exercise. We all know it doesn’t happen all the time.
Parents, however, shouldn’t let their responsibilities derail their fitness goals. Let your kids exercise with you instead. Getting your kids moved together provides great opportunities to bond with them and instill healthy habits. Check out the activities/exercises below for kids. The little ones can play nearby, join in, or help out. Start your warmup with a warmup.
5 Exercises you can exercise with your kids
Ten push-ups, please
If your child is really good at push-ups, you can modify other strength training moves (such as squats, lunges, sit-ups, and planks) for him/her. As a child pushes up from his knees or lies on his stomach and straightens his arms, you can do a classic push-up (toes on the floor, knees straight, elbows bent).
In addition to bicep curls and tricep raises, you can also do chest presses with hand weights. Physical therapist Joan Ferrara, who practices in New York, says older children can use weights of one to two pounds. If your child wants to weigh himself, give him bean bags, cylindrical wooden blocks, or water bottles (filled partially to add heft). As you lift, you practice counting and numbers.
Run, Walk, and Roll
Running, walking, biking or inline skating with your child can provide hours of fun. The jogging stroller, a bike seat, or a bike trailer can transport babies, toddlers, and young preschoolers. Besides in-line skates and scooters, older preschoolers and grade-schoolers can use bikes, tricycles, or tricycles to get their own workout while walking, jogging, or running Buying a trail-a-bike will let you and your child ride together in tandem on your bicycle.
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Yoga Practice
Simple stretches and twists will help them stretch a little easier. Many kids are quite adept and flexible. Let them take the lead and let them decide what pace they want. Ferrara advises parents to let their children choose the pose – never force them – because he founded Dancing Dreams, an adaptive dance program for physical disabilities and mechallenginglenges kids. It is best to avoid getting overzealous with children. Be gentle instead.
Dance It Out
Exercise with children may be easiest through dance. Take advantage of kids’ music and kid-friendly moves (the hokey pokey, for instance), or make your own. Ferrara says you can burn calories while dancing vigorously. A quick aerobic workout video can even be used as a dance party. The instructor’s video will provide the moves and the kids can follow along with their own song choices.
Hit the Playground
Playground equipment is popular with children, so parents can also enjoy it. Play around with the equipment and build a circuit routine — climb the steps, run around the ring, cross the monkey bars, swing on the swings. You can take turns leading the routine by having your kids join you. Or simply run around the area on your yoga mat or bring along a mat and do your poses and stretches there.