There was a time when fun had to be constructed and fresh air was kids' main energy source. Today, though, many parents find themselves ighting to keep their kids physically engaged—and maybe fighting an internal war on the matter themselves. Remaining fit and having fun with your family can actually go hand in hand if you know how to add fitness organically into your life. Our specialists on apartments in Delray Beach, FL, recommend you follow these five tips for keeping your whole family in shape:
There's nothing a child loves more than playing with his mom and dad, and constructing a playhouse is possibly the best way to get parents in on the action. You don't have to be agile with a saw and hammer to build a playhouse. All you really need is a big box. Cut out windows and a door, add a roof, and maybe paint a flower bed on the front. Voila! A new play space where kids can test their creativity and stay engaged, all thanks to your support.
Sometimes, it takes a strong sense of inquisitiveness to draw a child outdoors and into nature. Teach your kids to be adventurers. Take them to a regional park or national forest and permit them to explore the various trails and get acquainted with the wildlife there. Then, get in there with them and appreciate a brisk stroll along one of the twisted paths. Bonus points if you can find a park with a nature center that actually teaches about the native wildlife.
It's unrealistic to ban TV watching for the entire summer (or even a night, really), so don't. Instead, just try to reinvent what TV time is all about. Encourage your kids to watch energetic shows that will have them sing and dance to every scene. If your children have extremely active imaginations, see if they'll hop in and act out a scene they just saw during the commercial break. Keep a yoga mat and hand weights in the living room so that you can work out while they do.
Bicycling is a good sport for families because you can go at whatever pace suits you. So even if your partner has knee issues and your littlest children can't keep a quick pace, the low-impact, laid-back workout will still work for everybody. Begin biking as a family on flat, paved trails at nearby parks and graduate to more demanding terrain like mountain paths as the kids get older and more daring.
When the weekend comes around—or summer vacation—your children' first intuition is probably to roll out of bed around 11 and grab the iPad or XBOX controller immediately. Maybe it's time to recondition their thinking. Instead of permitting your youngsters to waste away indoors all day, plan a fun outside activity that will get them enthusiastic to see the sun. Treasure or scavenger hunts are always a massive hit with kids. Host a water balloon toss if you can get the whole neighborhood in on it.