Activate your Family

Staying active is vital for remaining healthy. One way to ensure your family stays healthy is by getting moving and having fun together. Consider some more traditional ideas when trying to bring the family together instead of everyone going their separate ways. Here are a few family friendly tips for staying active, together: 

Cook a meal together

• Family meals don’t have to be elaborate or tedious to prepare. 
• Use simple recipes with healthy ingredients. 
• Choose an option that can involve everyone in the cooking process. 

Rediscover Florida 

• Take a walk or go for a bike ride in the evening and on weekends. 
• Explore Mother Nature; you would be surprised at the amount of adventure hiding right around you. 
• Depending on your location, utilize whatever natural resources you may have. 
• If you live on the beautiful coasts of Florida, take advantage of the beach. Your whole family can have a fun-filled day of activities ranging from building sand castles, to playing catch, or body surfing great waves. 
• If you are located in some of the most north central areas, seek out all the wonderful rivers and springs. Canoeing and tubing are great fun! 

Utilize the backyard 

• This essentially free, and flexible area has an infinite amount of activities that can take place. 
• Hold a family Olympic competition—choose some of your favorite competitions and set them up for a fun-filled day of family Olympics (this is also great for family reunions). 
• Have a family kickball or t-ball game. 
• Plant and tend to a garden.
• Play catch.
• Hula Hoop
• Jump Rope
• Climb trees

Active Indoors 

• Dance party to family fun tunes. 
• Limbo—Use a broom, hockey stick, or a mop for a limbo stick; take turns holding the stick and play some fun music. It’s easiest to use a chair or some kind of table for the other end of the stick and therefore you only need one person holding the other end.
• Wii Fit—this is a great way to keep the whole family engaged and create some family fun competition 
• Twister—this traditional game is a surefire way to stay active inside and also a good test of flexibility 
• Hide and Seek—One person counts, while everyone else hides. Designate a “safe” base for those
• hiding out to try and reach before they are touched by the seeker. 

Family Field Trips: Movies and restaurants are nice, but active adventures are ideal to food focused inactive chocies. Here are some general places that will compel the whole family to be active: 

• Bowling 
• Ice/Roller Skating 
• Laser Tag 
• Rock Climbing 
• Skateboard parks 
• Tennis 
• Miniature Golf 
• Batting Cages
• Dancing

As Floridians, we are blessed to have warm weather almost year round; take advantage of this wonderful climate. Outdoor activities are a fantastic way to spend the weekends together. Regardless of your family schedule, start making conscious efforts to increase time spent moving with one another. Staying active is an ideal way to ensure healthier, longer, and more productive lives together.

Photo credit: MikeBaird on Flickr.com