When I was growing up you did not hear too much about enjoying fitness with your children. I do not remember many parent/child classes. We just woke up on a lazy summer day wondering how we would spend it. The parents and kids basically did their own things. We did enjoy family times, such as going to the park and going out to the movies, but not too much regarding fitness specifically.
Years passed and fitness became more popular. Classes started springing up all over the place. Now, there is a class for just about everything, even the hula-hoop!
Taking a class with your children is a great way to encourage physical fitness and socialization. If children see their parent concerned regarding their diet and exercise then they may be as well.
Taking a class, such as Gymboree or a class at the YMCA is great. However, there are other ways to encourage good health also. You can spend money at a class if you can afford it and it is more structured. You will get more socialization with a variety of people as well. This includes children, as well as parents.
The other way is to simply organize your own physical fitness regimen at home. This could be something as easy as a morning walk, jump roping or a game of badminton. You can also host a game of basketball with the neighborhood kids or a backyard pool party.
When the parents get involved the kids like it even better. I may have looked foolish trying to block the neighborhood kids from making a pass to each other in basketball, but they loved it! There was also the time that I swung the bat and it came right out of my hands sliding across the grass. That got quite a few chuckles and rounds of laughter echoed throughout the air. The worst part about it was that I was trying. I was a little embarrassed, but seeing the kids laugh made me glad that it happened.
It does not matter if you know what you are doing or if you are any good at it. The important thing is that you are teaching your kids that physical fitness is fun and important to your body to stay strong and healthy.
There are too many houses where children spend too much time playing video games and watching television. Some of that kind of activity is fine because kids do need some down time just to tune out, but activity should be in the mix sometime during the day.
Get out there and play with your kids. I think that once you get involved you will enjoy it yourself. I know that I did!