101 Tips for Family Fitness Fun

Wear loose fitting clothing and proper shoes to permit freedom of movement.

Practice safe balances and stunts during TV commercials.
Have a tasting party to introduce your family to new fruits and vegetables.
Use physical activity as a reward (e.g., family goes inline skating). Create a scavenger hunt on a rainy day and have a race to see who can find everything. Emphasize the importance of having fun and learning; avoid a push “to win.” Get off the couch and change the channel manually—or better yet, turn if off! Plan a “Post Thanksgiving Dinner Walk” for the whole family.

Keep fresh fruit and vegetables washed, cut-up, chilled and readily available for snacking. Take the family grocery shopping so everyone can learn to read the nutrition labels (e.g., find the cereal that offers the most fiber per serving; find the tastiest nonfat cheese).

Talk to the physical education teacher about your child’s physical education program and how you can provide support.
Encourage your principal and school board to make quality physical education a priority.
Volunteer to help with physical activity events such as field days.
Organize a walking school bus for International Walk to School Week in October.
Insist that recess is available daily for elementary school students.
Encourage your school to offer intramurals and a wide variety of high school sports.

Pack a lunch that includes whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Get up from your desk every hour or two to walk and stretch.

Always use the stairs. Carry items (book bags, groceries, etc.) in a manner that maintains proper alignment and helps build strength.
Encourage everyone to “act out” a story as you read it. Have everyone choose a city they want to visit. Add everyone’s pedometer steps together at the end of the day and convert the steps to miles. See how long it takes to get to each city.
Play upbeat music while you twist and shake through your chores.
Get off the bus a few stops early and walk.
Park a distance from the grocery store so you can walk and get more steps on your pedometer.

Chop and stack wood.
Take a long walk or jog on the beach, in the park, or around your neighborhood.
Cross country ski around town and into the woods.
Use a compass to map out a course – then set out on a walk, jog, or bike, hike.
Canoe or kayak for an entire afternoon.
Ice skate for a great winter workout.
Skiing always gives the family a lift.
Enjoy water exercise activities.
Play a game of mixed-age backyard or water volleyball.
Have the whole family jump rope while practicing spelling.
Take a nature hike at an outdoor education center.
Go up, up and away with a kite-flying day.
Go to a driving range and hit a bucket of balls. Visit farms throughout the year where you can pick your own strawberries, peaches, and apples. Plan cycling trips on safe trails by finding on-line references for biking trails.

Walk, jog, and run on a family treasure hunt.
Toss around as many different-shaped balls/ objects as you can find.
Learn to juggle with the entire family.
Play “Hit and Go” croquet – hit the ball and run to it – across the whole yard.
Count how many hula-hoop rotations everyone can do.
Jump rope – practice rhythms, rhymes and tricks.
Play a “hot potato” game with a Frisbee and the family dog.
Plan an action-packed game of badminton… serve from where the birdie drops.
Jump on a Pogo stick and count bounces. Build stilts and walk on them to create laughter and exercise. Remember safety with non-slip pads.
Ride on a skateboard. Don’t forget the helmet and the knee, wrist, and elbow pads.
Play hopscotch or four square and organize a family tournament.
Invite the neighbors to play and share favorite tag games. Host a sports party where you play traditional games like basketball, softball, volleyball, tetherball, etc. Practice inline skating (with knee, wrist and elbow pads and helmets) going further and getting faster each day.
Take the family pet for a walk or jog.
Volunteer to wash several elderly neighbors’ cars.

Plan a “walkie talkie” (walk and talk) with a friend the same time everyday. Walk or bike to a nearby playground –challenge family members to try their skills swinging and crossing a horizontal ladder (monkey bars).
Take a historical (or architectural) walk or cycling tour.
Plan a “Block Fitness Festival.”
Adopt a highway, park, or beach, and keep it clean. Participate in a “volksmarch.” This German “people’s walk” is social in nature and is usually 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).
Take part in a mall walk – especially in bad weather.
Research and build a new community exercise opportunity.
Enter a “Fun Run” or a walk-a-thon for a good cause.
Create or build a fitness trail or par course for the community.

Check out the facilities at the local Y, health club, and recreation center.
Organize a party at an indoor ice or roller skating rink.
Walk or bike to the tennis court and play.
Participate in a mixed-age martial arts class.

Create a family video of exercise routines.
Try a musical version of Simon Says.
Invite friends and neighbors over for some line dancing.
See who’s most flexible in a game of Twister.
Share dances from each generation in your family.
Throw an ethnic/ multicultural dance party.

Use a bench or steps for a step-aerobic workout.
Create a wonderful backyard obstacle course using an old tire, hula hoop, ropes for paths, boards for balance, crates for steps and swings to swing!
Celebrate your new physically active family!

Getting started

Tips for the home

Tips for the kitchen

Tips for school

Tips for work

Tips for anywhere

The Great Outdoors

YES in your backyard

Tips for the neighborhood

Take advantage of facilities

On rainy days

Around the House