Spring Into Family Fitness: Fun Activities for Mums and Kids
Fitness is so important both to feel fit and healthy but for you as a mum to be a role model for the kids and the whole family. Being active is a great way to build relationships and staying healthy together. Yoga is a wonderful way to incorporate into your family wellbeing as it promotes both physical and emotional wellbeing.
As the days get warmer and nature comes to life, spring is the perfect time to embrace outdoor activities that keep both mums and kids moving. Whether you’re playing in the garden, going on nature walks, or doing family yoga, fitness can be fun and rejuvenating for the whole family.
I love exercising with my daughter if it’s walking the dog, cycling, swimming or doing a gym session. It’s a fun way to connect and keeping fit at the same time and she really enjoys it. I think I’ve motivated my daughter that staying active is good not only for your physical health but also your mental health. I can really see the difference when she started high school and how she is more aware of her health and how it staying fit, eating well and sleeping will help how she feels in school and her overall energy and wellbeing.
Are you read to get active?
Here’s how to turn your spring days into active, healthy family time!
Why Spring is perfect for family fitness
Spring is the best time to start your fitness routine. The weather is getting warmer, fresh air and the mornings are still a bit cooler, which makes it perfect for some exercise. It’s time to shake of the heavy, sluggish feeling of winter and make way for a more energised feeling. If you find it hard to fit in fitness for yourself as a mum, do it together with your kids or with the whole family, then it becomes quality bonding time and you also get your exercise done, which is double win.
Outdoor yoga session for mums and kids
If you are like me and love yoga, maybe a morning session in your garden or the park will kickstart the day of your whole family. My daughter though is not a morning person so for me, mornings are dedicated to my own yoga, walk or meditation, and we tend to do exercise together late afternoon. Everyone is different so work around what is best for you.
Introduce some easy poses to start with like mountain pose, tree pose and child’s pose. To make it a more playful activity incorporating the animal-themed poses such as frog pose or butterfly pose, cobra pose, cat-cow and downward dog.
If the kids are a bit older you can try partner poses that also promotes bonding as you rely on each other to make it work. Try double tree pose or partner boat pose.
Nature walks and mindfulness
Stress is a big factor in our lives, and this can also be felt by the kids. If you as a parent feel stressed that will also have an impact on how they feel and behave. Why not destress and explore the local parks, nature reserves around your neighbourhood and try incorporating some mindfulness. Look for signs of spring such as flowers in bloom, birds nesting and trees budding. Listen to the nature sounds and encourage your children to pause and practice deep breathing whilst observing the scenery.
Gardening together
If you have a garden at home get your hands dirty and do some family gardening. This is a great way to keep active but also teach your kids about the environment and healthy eating. The kids can help plant flowers, veggies and herbs whilst learning how to care for the environment. Getting the kids to plant their own vegetables can encourage them to eat them too. Gardening is both a physical and mindful activity and a way to bond together as a family.
Healthy snack breaks
When you are on your nature walks, doing yoga or any other physical activity ensure you include some great healthy snacks to refuel the body. This could be using the veggies from your garden such as carrot or cucumber sticks with hummus, fruit smoothies or homemade energy balls. Getting your kids involved in preparing their snacks will be a fun activity and also teaching them about healthy habits. Ensuring to keep your body hydrated whilst exercising is key especially in Australia where the weather is pretty hot. Drink plenty of water and to make it more fun freeze some berries and add to the water or add some slices of lime or lemon.
Family yoga challenge
Some families love a competition, and it can also make it a fun challenge to test everyone’s flexibility and balance. So, this spring make fitness exciting and do your own family yoga challenge.
Here is how to do it.
First set a time frame for your challenge so you know what goal to aim for.
Create a fun reward system to celebrate each day of the challenge. Update the chart to keep the family motivated.
You can incorporate theme days e.g. Balance Day or Animal Yoga Day.
Introduce simple breathing techniques that kids can follow and end each session with a gratitude circle or meditation.
Encourage your family members to share their progress with friends and other relatives to inspire others.
Spring is the ideal season to prioritise family fitness, turning everyday activities into opportunities for movement and fun. With these ideas, you and your kids will not only enjoy quality time together but also stay active and healthy as the warmer months arrive. Whether it’s yoga, gardening, or a nature walk, make fitness a playful and regular part of your spring routine. Exercise don’t have to be a chore, have fun, do the challenge and create lasting memories. Keep me posted on how you go.
