In my last blog I talked about family fitness with your toddler. In this blog I am going to be talking about family fitness with your 5 to 10 year old. This age range allows for a lot of fun opportunities.
While you can enjoy a lot of the more common physical activities with this age group (playing catch, soccer, walking, etc.), you can also come up with some really creative ideas for incorporating exercise.
One idea is to go on a scavenger hunt. Now this might not sound like a way to incorporate fitness but that’s what makes it so great. If you can come up with ideas where you are kept moving but it doesn’t feel like exercise, then fitness doesn’t become work.
For a good workout, though, you need to create a pretty elaborate scavenger hunt, one that will take some time to get through. You should also create a hunt that takes you outside the house, into the yard and even down to the local park.
Water games are also fun with this age group. Kids who enjoy the water will spend hours in it if they are kept involved in fun activities. Noodle races, pool basketball, and just the movement of swimming are great ways to exercise.
This is also a good age group to begin going on family bike rides. But don’t just relegate these rides to your neighborhood. Pack up the bikes and go to a scenic bike trail.
Hikes are also great for kids this age. But you can make it even more fun by challenging your child to identify flowers along the way, play “I See Something…” or have your child collect rocks or other treasures.
There are so many ways to get your family moving and yet create wonderful memories at the same time. What ideas do you have for family fitness with your 5 to 10 year old?
Related Articles:
Family Fitness with Your Toddler
Start a Family Fitness Challenge
Photo by MoBikeFed in Flickr