It can be harder to stay active when you’ve got to stay inside. Here are some indoor family activities to stay moving.
Not only will participating in physical activity burn a few extra calories, but it can also promote family bonding and create lifelong memories. Encourage your kiddos to put down the TV remote and try one of these fun and engaging indoor family activities to do together instead:
1. Do some exergaming
Thanks to video game technology — for example, PlayStation Move — staying active indoors is easy. Whether you are in search of a customized cardio workout, competitive soccer game or a casual game of bowling, exergaming provides an excellent opportunity to get those muscles working and enjoy doing so. And the best part? You and the kiddos may not even realize that you are exercising! Now that’s a bonus.
2. Dance it out
Not only is dance a unique way to stay active, but it is also a great stress reliever and promotes self-expression. Create an upbeat playlist, turn up today’s hits and get movin’. Check out YouTube to find kids’ dance fitness videos for inspiration.
3. Build an indoor obstacle course
Indoor obstacle courses can include exercise equipment (think jump ropes, light dumbbells), everyday household items or a combination of both. To get started, set up various stations such as hula-hoop jumping, spontaneous dance or bozo buckets. The possibilities are endless!
4. Hit the deck
The fit deck, that is! You can make your own out of index cards or even an old deck of cards. Take turns drawing cards and modeling the activities — supermans, squats, inchworms, star jumps and the like — for each other, or turn it into a challenge. Either way, you’ll get exercise and a dose of team-building from this indoor family activity, to boot.
5. Get app-y
Some screen time is OK — especially the kind that gets you moving! On the App Store and Google Play, you’ll find plenty of family-focused fitness apps, like Super Stretch Kids Yoga and GoNoodle. With NFL Play 60, a partnership between the NFL and the American Heart Association designed to encourage kiddos to get 60 minutes of on-your-feet activity, sports enthusiasts can choose a football player avatar and do mini-exercises to earn points. Teens can try Nike Training Club, which comes loaded with workouts — HIIT, yoga, strength training and mobility — led by Nike Master Trainers and often branded with names like Serena Williams and Cristiano Ronaldo.
