I am not a playground kind of mom.
Now that my kids have gotten older, it’s not so much of an issue, but I have never liked taking the kids to the park.
My anxiety ramps up to about a bazillion and the only thing I can think of is, “How soon is it until we can leave?”
Now, I know there are plenty of parents who like to head to the playground on sunny days and let their kids play and run around.
God bless them, because their ability to turn off anxiety and nerves is a source of constant amazement for me.
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That being said, I don’t mind playing outside and have discovered that with only three things, we can get in a fun dose of fitness and plenty of laughter.
So, grab your sidewalk chalk, beach ball, and Frisbee for some awesome family fitness games and fun!
Family Fitness Fun
Sidewalk Chalk Activities
We stock up on a couple buckets of sidewalk chalk each Spring when the dollar store has them in stock, but we use it late into the fall.
Drawing a game of Four-Square gets even the most reluctant tween involved in a fun game.
A chalked out version of hopscotch on the sidewalk or in the driveway is great for cardio and balance practice.
Line mazes and labyrinths require balancing skills that can benefit all.
There are a ton of different options for fitness fun with just a single piece of sidewalk chalk!
Blow-up Beach Ball Activities
Keep a deflated blow-up beach ball in your car for a quick and easy fitness fun option.
Relatively easy to inflate (especially if you have a hand pump!), the ball can be used for everything from a game of catch to an energetic game of soccer.
While any type of ball is good to have on hand for fitness, an inflatable beach ball is easy to store and perfect for big and little hands alike.
In fact, using beach balls is one of my favorite homeschool activities because you can incorporate everything from math practice to building words!
Frisbees and Fitness
Fine and gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and running skills are all practiced with a game of Frisbee.
Besides being easy to store, Frisbees can be used in place of balls and bats for a game of baseball or as a substitute for golf clubs and golf balls in Frisbee golf.
Grab a couple of Frisbees to have on hand (the dollar store is great for these too – especially in the early summer months), and keep one at home and one in the car in case an open field or playground presents itself for a pick-up game of Frisbee fun.
Why These Three Things?
The purpose of having the chalk, beach ball, and Frisbee on hand is to make it easier to engage in quick, easy fitness activities with the family.
You don’t need expensive equipment or planned excursions to integrate fitness into your day.
All you need is a bit of creativity and imagination (and a whole lot of sunscreen!) to make fitness with your family a fun event.
How do you sneak fitness into your family’s weekly routine and schedule?