Family Fitness

Summer is a fabulous time to get out and be active with your family. By being physically active with your children, you are teaching them healthy lifestyles skills that will improve their quality and quantity of life! There are also many social enjoyments and bonding that benefit a family that is active together.

Here are some easy, fun, and inexpensive family physical activities:

• Family bike rides: Just head out on a local greenbelt, bike, trail, or safe roadway. Pack a picnic lunch and have a destination of a local park (with playground for younger children).
• Local bike parade: Many towns will have a bike ride for families with t-shirts, raffle, and prizes. Register for that and you’ll meet many new families with the same goals as well as being escorted by the local police.
• Hike together as a family: There are so many places with easy hikes for children, more advanced hikes, or expert hikes. Hiking also allows you to see some beautiful country. Include a nature hike by picking all the different wild flowers you come across.
• Swimming: what better way to cool off for the summer as well as be active and have fun.
• Run/walk together: On a beautiful evening, instead of sitting in front of the television, go for a nature walk or exploritive walk. There are also probably some fun local walk/runs including half mile or miles for little children.
• Ever heard of a dirty dash! What would be more fun and active than running through a mud obstacle course as a family…what child or adult wouldn’t love that?