As a parent, you are not only responsible for your own well-being but for the well-being of your family too. Healthy living should be right at the top of your list of priorities, but hectic social lives and chaotic schedules can get in the way of that.
Thankfully, keeping your family fit and well doesn’t have to be a chore. With the right information and guidance, you can ensure that you and your family all stay fit and healthy. Here are a few top tips to help you build good habits and help your family.
Fun Days Out With a Physical Element
A great way to incorporate physical activity into your family’s life is to plan a fun day out. Family outings are good opportunities for your family to bond and create memorable moments everyone will look back on in the future.
Family-friendly ideas can include outdoor adventures such as mountain climbing, hiking, and bicycle rides in the countryside. If your family enjoys spending time in the great outdoors, you can extend the fun by planning camping holidays.
Not only will a camping trip bring the family together, but it could turn into a fun tradition that everyone will look forward to on a yearly basis, even when your kids have grown up.
Spending a portion of your spare time having fun while staying active outdoors will help normalize physical outdoor activities. In turn, your children will think of it as a way of life as they grow older.
Spend Time at the Park
Not everyone has the time or the means to travel to beautiful outdoor destinations for exercise. Luckily, you don’t have to travel far to have fun outside. Visiting your local park can be just as rewarding for the family, and it will give everyone a chance to stretch their legs and breathe in some fresh air.
Young children often enjoy the stimulation provided in the play area of a park. The playground is a fun and safe environment for children to enjoy different types of outdoor play and help with your child’s development.
As well as the physical benefit of running around exploring a play area, playgrounds can also help develop cognitive, emotional, and creative skills. It also gives them a chance to interact with other children.
Parks are also great places to simply take a walk with family, kick a ball around or play frisbee. You make of it what you can!
Don’t Let Bad Weather Ruin the Fun
The UK isn’t known for predictable, sunny weather, and you have probably been put off going outside with the family on at least one occasion. Although bad weather might be demotivating when it comes to outdoor activities, you don’t need to let it stop you from being active.
There are plenty of options that don’t involve your family getting cold and wet. Soft play centers can provide hours of fun for young kids, while the local swimming pool can be enjoyed by the entire family.
Keep Everyone Moving at Home
If you want to stay fit but you don’t want to leave the house, don’t worry. There are many child-friendly streaming services that will allow your family to work out together, such as ‘PE with Joe Wicks’, which was popularized when the UK was going into lockdown during the pandemic.
You can also try out yoga as a family or incorporate fitness with gaming with active video games. Staying fit and active doesn’t have to mean leaving the comfort of your own home.
Do Something New as a Family
Choosing a brand new fitness activity as a family and practicing it regularly is a great way for families to bond. It will strengthen your bond as a family and give everyone a chance to support each other as you explore a new activity.
Martial arts classes offer participants a bunch of handy skills that can be used in daily life. It gives your family the skills and confidence to defend themselves properly, and it gives kids a fantastic outlet to release their energy in a positive and constructive way. Not sure where to look for this type of class? Fightcitygym.co.uk offers a wide range of martial arts for the whole family, such as boxing, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts).
Visit their website for more information. Martial arts will help your family become fitter and more confident and teach them the value of respect and discipline.
Train Together
If you enjoy hitting the gym regularly, why not bring your family along with you? There are many gyms that offer guest passes that you can give to family members. They can use these passes to work out whether going to the gym is something they enjoy doing, not to mention they get a free trip to the gym out of it.
If they do end up loving the experience, ask the gym if they offer family discounts or child memberships. Going to the gym with your spouse or your children is a great way to get fit together.
Volunteer Your Time
Families with plenty of spare time on their hands can spend this time giving back to the local community. Volunteering is a great way to do your bit for the world and feel great about it too. There are many ways your family can volunteer and stay active at the same time. Visit the community center and see if they need a helping hand.
Alternatively, you can check in on local charity shops to see if they need assistance with sorting through donations. Besides volunteering closer to home, you can try family-friendly volunteer projects abroad during the school breaks.
Volunteering in a new environment will help keep everyone active while away from home. It will also give your family a chance to build life skills together, experience new cultures, and leave a positive mark on the world.
Participate in Charitable Events
Besides regular voluntary work and meaningful volunteering, you can also get fit for a good cause by participating in charitable events.
From fun runs to sponsored runs, there are plenty of fitness challenges to choose from that will help your family get fit for charity. Ask around for suggestions about what to get involved in that could help you all get involved.
