Exercising with your child in tow can feel like a pipe dream. A daunting idea. I believe the way in which we view exercise, along with the expectations we carry for ourselves, should soften when entering parenthood. We may not always be able to find space for vigorous physical activity, though even regular light activity can make a huge difference to our overall health.
It can be challenging with young children, to say the least. With a home to take care of and so many other needs to meet, it can be easy for moms to put their needs on the back burner. Getting creative when it comes to exercise and active play is necessary during this season when our children are small. Busy parents must find new ways to implement an active lifestyle for the sake of their mental health.
Read on for ideas to help you make a game plan. Set yourself up for success in reaching your goals when it comes to physical activities.
Do your best to get the sleep that your body needs so that you have the energy to make exercising with your child possible in the first place.
A burned out mama is not going to have any extra energy to exert in order to get the exercise that she needs to feel her best! Sleep is the most important thing. Put yourself to bed at whatever time you need to, to make sure you catch enough Z’s before those babies rise up in the morning. If you have wee little babies, or you have other sleep disturbances that are beyond your control, my heart goes out to you! Do your best, be compassionate with yourself, and know that everything will come in it’s own time. Don’t waste your precious energy beating yourself up for not having enough energy to exercise! Just DO YOUR BEST.
Be playful to make exercising with your child fun for everyone!
Run around and get your heart rate up with your babies. Unstructured active free play is a beautiful thing. Our young kids love it so much when we play with them and spend quality time. Be a good role model. Feed their souls, and your own, by playing active games with them outside.
Ditch the video games. Breaking out the side walk chalk for some hop scotch is a fun way to find movement. Play tag for some aerobic activity or kick around a soccer ball! Go for a bike ride for some great exercise! See who can run to the tree the fastest over and over again. Teach your kiddos how to jump rope! There are countless types of physical activity to try.
There are a huge variety of activities that can be used to get everyone’s bodies moving and build memories that will last a lifetime. Try making some type of active play part of your daily routine.
Walking is an excellent way to exercise with the whole family.
Taking the kids out for a walk can be medicine for every member of the family. This is a great way to get everyone outside, spending time together, breathing fresh air and moving their bodies. Turn exercising with your child into an adventure by allowing your children to make decisions of which way to go. Walk in new places and learn about the things you see along the way. The health benefits of regular exercise are countless. Be a good example and help your children start these good habits at an early age.
However, screams of protest from our older kids surrounding the mention of going for a walk can put a huge damper on this activity that would otherwise, be totally lovely. There are ways that you can work on making this an enjoyable process for your family no matter your child’s age, and the sooner the better! The sooner you start, the sooner you will be outside adventuring and moving with your family. Also, kids are often more flexible when they are younger. Less “set in their ways” if you will. Getting my oldest to come out for walks with me is not the easiest. Check out my article on how to get your kids walking with you for the best ways to make this process go a bit smoother.
Look at weight training from another angle with baby as your weight!
Babies always want to be held. This is a precious time when they are small and always want to be with us. It can also be frustrating as it makes us feel like we will never get the things done that we need to do for ourselves in order to be our best. Try flipping the script and take those baby snuggles with you onto the mat as part of your workout routine. Babies make excellent weights. Soon after having a baby it is best to steer away from lifting too much weight, and our babies tend to be the perfect amount. Of course respect them, their wants, needs and safety at all times. Make it fun and giggle with them! Pay attention to their cues. This can be an activity with your baby to treasure as part of your fitness routine.
Exercise with the kids by rolling out a mat for each child while you enjoy a yoga class (or other work out video of your choosing).
Kids like to be with their parents. They also want to be like their parents! Exercising with your child can come naturally if you make them feel involved in the things that you do. Your kids are interested in the things you do and they want to be closer to you. What an awesome way to get them involved while they watch you build healthy habits for yourself!
Help your child to feel included and a part of your practice by giving them their own mat. My daughter tends to use my Jade Travel Yoga Mat when she feels like joining me for a little yoga flow. This is a great little mat that folds up nice and small, doesn’t take up a lot of space, but still has all the grip of a regular yoga mat. Using her own mat makes her excited that she has her own space to move by mama. It also serves as a welcome tool to help her stay in her own space. Mom stays on her mat. She stays on her mat. Simple enough!
Find a sport that everyone enjoys and do it together!
There are so many amazing, fun sports out there to try! Take a bit of time to experiment until something clicks. There is bound to be an activity out there that your entire family will enjoy together. Once you find that thing, consider yourself blessed and run with it! Do this activity often and build memories that will last a lifetime while improving your health and mental well-being at the same time.
Change the way you view exercise and make it more kid friendly.
A dance party in the living room can absolutely be exercise. Anyone who tells you that it isn’t, isn’t dancing hard enough. Crank up the bass, pull down a few hula hoops and go to town. You may shock your children. They’ll get over it. And once they do, they will absolutely love joining in with you on the fun! Climb a tree. Swing on the swings with all the might you can muster. The way that we adults view exercise can be… well, nothing short of a bummer! Show your kids that moving their bodies is fun. Help them build healthy habits for life while keeping yourself healthy at the same time!
Remember to exercise from a place of self LOVE!
There is no better way to end this article than with a loving reminder to exercise from a place of love. This journey will be much more effective and enjoyable if you are able to make it about how you feel instead of how you look. This is also a great example and mindset to model for your children. Your body works amazingly! It created human beings for crying out loud! Be patient and kind with your miraculous body in all that you do and have fun moving with it. Especially when exercising with your child!