Workouts you can do with kids
Sharing some workouts you can do with kids and my tips for working out with kiddos at home.
Hi friends! How are ya? I hope you’re having a lovely morning so far! WELCOME TO FIT TEAM to all of the friends who signed up this past week! We are so so pumped to have you and I can’t wait to hear your feedback on the workouts. If you missed the details, check it out here – enrollment closes this Sunday. What are you even waiting for??
For today’s post, I’m sharing some workouts that you can do with kids. Until COVID hit, I very rarely worked out with the kids around. I was typically teaching classes and doing my own thing at the gym while they were at school. (Over the weekend, I’d take an off day and then hit up some type of class.) When the world shut down and we were home for months, they definitely started to see me work out. I realized that by having them around, I was setting an example for them in multiple ways. They were able to see that I prioritized moving my body each day, they were able to see that my workouts affected my mood and well-being (I feel great and energized after a workout), and sometimes, they’d even join in the fun.
15 workouts you can do with kids
It’s important for me to lead by example that moving your body is a good thing. It’s fun, and it helps to keep you healthy and active for the long haul. There are so many benefits to working out with kids: it can help moms squeeze in exercise time while keeping the kids busy, it can tire them out for naptime or bedtime, it’s a fun and different way to bond with the kids, and it’s a great way to teach the importance of health and fitness at a young age.
In today’s post, I’m sharing some of my favorite workouts to do with kids both outdoors and at home! If you have any resources your kids love, please spread the word in the comments section.
This is one that Liv’s PE teacher sent while the kids were home from school. He really did an awesome job of choosing YouTube workouts for the kids that kept them engaged and enjoying themselves. We’ve come back to this one and similar ones a few times.
Cosmic Yoga is just a treasure. If you haven’t tried this yet with your kids, the workouts are so creative and fun. It’s a nice way to introduce yoga at a young age, and each video has a theme. Try the Harry Potter one!
Peloton Family
The Peloton Family workouts incorporate strength, cardio, and yoga elements, and can help improve motor skills, coordination, and balance. You do need to have the paid app to access the classes, but I feel like it’s an excellent complement to our Peloton membership.
Dance party in the living room
Workouts, especially with kids, don’t have to be *official* workouts. A dance party in the living room is a great way to get in some movement, shake out some sillies, and bond together. (I also relish this opportunity to show them my sweet dance moves lololol.) Our kids LOVE Story Pirates if you haven’t checked them out. The songs are catchy, witty, and imaginative. Also, the Encanto soundtrack is always a good way to go.
Animal Workout
Bear crawls: Come into a beast position on all fours, with hands under your shoulders, knees under your hips, and hover your knees off the floor. Walk forwards and backward, side to side. Make sure to breathe.
Mountain climbers: Get in a plank position with your wrists under your shoulders. Bring one knee towards the elbow on the same side. Move back to the plank and switch to the opposite side. For more of a challenge, move as quickly as possible.
Frog jumps: Start in the plie squat position. Bring your hands down to touch the floor (keep your chest up). Jump up, and land, touching the floor.
Crab walk: Have a seat and put your hands behind your hips. Lift your hips off the ground as you *walk* forwards and backwards, like a crab.
Cheetah runs: Run in place with high knees as fast as you can.
Inchworm: Walk your hands out to a plank position (spine long, core engaged) and then walk your hands back to your feet and reach up overhead.
Kangaroo hops: Hop side to side with bent knees and hands like you’re a kangaroo 🙂
Beast to plank: Come into a beast position on all fours, with hands under your shoulders, knees under your hips, and hover your knees off the floor. Exhale to press your heels back so that you’re in a plank position. Inhale to bend your knees and come back into beast.
Complete each exercise for 45 seconds, with a 15-second break between moves. Complete up to 3 total rounds.
Here’s a quick video demo of the moves!
Superhero workout circuit
Here is a quick Superhero workout circuit I put together that you can do with the kids at home!
Spiderman crawls: For this exercise, you’re going to get low to the ground and crawl! If this isn’t something you normally do (aka most of us), it’s very silly and fun. Make sure to breathe and bend your knees and arms.
Zombie walks: Take alternating steps with straight legs and *chop* your opposite hand to your ankle. Use your core as you lift your legs and exhale on the way up.
Power kicks: Use your core to lift your leg and flex your foot to press it away from you. Keep your chest lifted and torso upright as you lunge. Finish on one side before switching to the other side.
Shuffle and duck: Quick shuffles to the side and then duck down. Use your core to help you. The shuffles can be as quick as you like!
Punches: Come into a low plie squat and punch diagonally up and down on one side. Switch to the opposite side.
Star jacks: If you do basic jumping jacks, make sure that your knees are not caving in as you walk or jump out and in. If you need to, move more slowly until you feel comfortable with the form. For an advanced version, try air jacks, only touching the floor when the feet come together and springing back up.
Complete each exercise for 45 seconds, with a 15-second break between moves. Complete up to 3 total rounds.
Here’s a quick video demo of the moves! We had a little too much fun putting this together. Please notice P’s zombie walk.
Agility Exercises For Kids
- Jumping exercises (jumping jacks, jump rope, hurdle jumps)
- Obstacle courses (cones, hurdles, agility ladders)
- Balancing exercises (walking on a balance beam or a line on the ground)
- Running drills (shuttle runs, zigzag sprints, sprint relays)
- Side-to-side movements (lateral shuffles, grapevines)
- Cone drills (weaving in and out of cones, running around cones in a pattern)
- Tuck jumps (jumping up and bringing the knees up to the chest)
- Reaction drills (having a partner call out a direction for the child to run and then changing the direction quickly)
Balance Exercises For Kids
- Tree pose
- Single-leg balance
- Tightrope walk
- Flamingo stand
- Yoga balance poses
- Balancing games
- Balance board
Go Noodle
The kids go CRAZY for Go Noodle. There are so many fun options but their faves are this one, and this one. Warning that the songs are very catchy and will be stuck in your head for days.
Just Dance
The girls will often do Just Dance for fun. They used to do the free videos on YouTube (and had no clue they weren’t actually earning points), and now that we have a Nintendo Switch, they’ll play Just Dance on the Switch. They have popular top 40s-type songs, Disney songs, classic faves, and even holiday-themed songs. Here are a few of their favorites: Prince Ali, Ghostbusters, and Starships.
Ok so this isn’t *real* Disney, but it totally does the trick. They did this one the other night and were cracking up the whole time. They loved it.
I’m a huge fan of Fitness Blender. They do a great job producing straightforward workout videos that are easy to follow. This is a fun exercise with “red light, green light,” “jump or drop” and freestyle. The kids will love it!
Fun Facts About Exercise For Kids
Exercise isn’t just good for physical health, but also for mental and emotional well-being. Kiddos who exercise regularly are more likely to have better self-esteem, improved mood, and better academic performance. Plus, exercise helps to build strong bones and muscles, improve coordination and balance, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases later in life.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that kids get at least one hour of physical activity each day, including muscle-strengthening exercises. Even if your little ones are stuck indoors, there are still plenty of active play options available, such as active games or dance parties. By encouraging kids to move and making exercise fun, they’re more likely to develop a lifelong love of physical activity and reap the many benefits that come with it.
Get your sweat on with these active and fun workouts to do with your kids!
Are there any at-home exercises or workouts your kids like to do?
It can be harder to help our kids move around and stay active during the summer. Truly because it’s SO hot here, so I’m grateful for indoor options to move their bodies (like the trampoline park) and lots of swimming. 🙂
xo
Gina
More:
Working out with kids at home
Finding time to work out with kids and a busy schedule
Fitness Tips for busy moms
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