The global COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world and made it more challenging for families to stay fit. It doesn’t have to be difficult though, as there are still many ways you and your family can enjoy an active lifestyle while remaining safe. Let’s explore the ways you can stay safe while you keep the family fit with an active lifestyle overflowing with fun and memory making.
Staying Safe and Active During COVID-19
You’ve likely already explained to your kids, according to their age and understanding, about coronavirus and the ways it can be transmitted. The important factor after the initial explanation is keeping kids informed about the latest news, using language they can understand. Of course, you’ll also need to model the safety habits you’ve explained and set the example for your children. Even now, as vaccines are being administered, mask wearing remains a safe deterrent against infection, so it is important to continue to promote mask wearing particularly when in groups outside your family unit. Allowing kids to chose their masks or decorate them can go a long way in normalizing the habit.
As you get outside to begin your fitness fun, you’ll need to remind your children about to stay safe with social distancing. It won’t limit your activities or the fun you can have when you choose adventures that can be shared with friends, outside where the risk of infection is lower, as long as social distancing guidelines are maintained. In addition to mask-wearing and physical distancing, you and your children should continue to practice frequent hand-washing and using hand sanitizer when washing isn’t possible or practical.
If you feel stress mounting, getting outside for some family fun can help, as can teaching breathing exercises, ensuring quality sleep and healthy eating for everyone. Remind your kids, and yourself, that if you feel sick, it is okay to admit and get the care needed. And most importantly, always remember to praise positive behavior – it is a great reward and delivers more positive results.
Keeping the Family Fit – Develop an Active Lifestyle
There are lots of activities which can be enjoyed together and one of the easiest to implement is taking a walk. You can start with a short daily walk in your neighborhood or your local park. If you have a family dog, let kids take turns doing the dog walking. You can also add skipping, hopping, and jumping to make the walk more enjoyable for your littles. Consider adding a game of “I Spy” or making the walk into a scavenger hunt. As the family gets more active together, you could step up your walking game to include a nature hike or even a family fun run. You can even set up an obstacle course in your yard to run for fun. Walking, hiking, and running are also activities in which you can invite friends to join in safely.
In addition, there are lots of other activities your family can enjoy while staying fit. Old school can be fun for fitness as you test your skill at hopscotch, Double Dutch (jump rope), Hide and Seek, or Kick the Can. Bike riding, like walking, is an easy activity for the entire family to join in, plus you can take bikes to local trails for even more fun. Gardening is another excellent activity which can help keep the family fit in a number of ways – from digging to harvesting, prepping and eating all the healthy choices!
When the weather won’t allow for outside fun, you can still stay active indoors. Turn up the music, while you dance and sing to everyone’s favorites tunes. You can also use this time to introduce kids to a variety of music styles and dance steps for the fun of it! If you need a bit of help around the house and are having trouble getting everyone on board – turn the chores into games (ala Mary Poppins). Pirates can rescue toys that have jumped ship (out of the toy chest); guessing games can ensue while clothes are sorted, washed, dried, and folded; or a friendly competition can be had for the cleanest room.
Keeping the family fit with a fun, active lifestyle is simple, all you need to do is take the first step and get started. Have fun!