Fun Exercises Kids & Parents Can Enjoy Together

Moms know: fitting in exercise in their daily routines can be very difficult. Whether you have a baby or an older child, kids demand your attention and energy in different ways.

One simple way to become more active as a mom is to try exercising as a whole family. If you have fitness goals, why not include everyone with them? You'll be teaching your children the importance of a healthy lifestyle and you'll be having fun while you're doing it.

Here are some fun ideas that can help everybody to get moving:

1. Run while the kids run beside you or ride their bikes. If you have a baby or toddler, use a jogging stroller.
2. Swim at the pool together.
3. Create a circuit workout in the driveway or backyard, or inside the house on rainy days. Remember that babies can make great hand weights.
4. Family bike ride; pull the smallest kids in a trailer behind you.
5. Go to a high school running track and stage races.
6. While you're at the track, do bleacher runs.
7. Backyard soccer or kickball.
8. Backyard wheelbarrow races.
9. Backyard relay races; be creative and use frog jumps, bear crawl, etc. for different legs of the race.
10. Shoot hoops on the driveway, at the gym or a park.
11. Play hopscotch.
12. Play freeze tag; when you're frozen, jog or do a boxer shuffle in place.
13. Go hiking.
14. Do sprint races down your street. Littler kids can help keep score.
15. Alternate jumping rope and jumping jacks.
16. Have a dance party on a rainy day.
17. Play tennis together. It's ideal if you can find courts next to a playground.
18. Family yoga, available through some studios or online programs.
19. Jump on a trampoline.
20. Go for a walk, but alternate skipping and speed walking.
21. While you're on that walk, try hopping backwards.
22. Create a backyard obstacle course.
23. Try walking to go on errands instead of driving.
24. Active video games, like "Just Dance" on the Wii.
25. Go roller skating in the neighborhood or at a rink (or ice skating).