We know we are not the only ones who get excited every time we see a playground. Come on, you know that your heart starts pounding just a little bit faster when you see those monkey bars and balance beams.
Let's Swing!
My son loves the swings. He will spend an entire hour in there if I let him. Why not get a great workout while having fun with him at the same time? These are just a few starter exercises but if you do them long enough your lungs, arms, and legs will be burning!
- Swing triceps overhead extensions
- Quick feet backwards and forwards
- Sideways squat jumps/holds
If you have two kids in swings side by side, do 10 sets of each of these exercises with one child, give him/her a big push, and then do 10 sets of each with your other child before the first swing stops.
American Ninja... Mom
Do you watch American Ninja Warrior with your family? Next time you visit a large playground, see if you can get from one end to the other and back without touching the ground. I don't mean walking through the structure ... I mean climbing on the outside of every surface you can!
Once you can complete a lap without dropping, time yourself and see how you do. Try to beat your time or make the course harder. This workout will really help you with your upper body strength and is a blast to do with school-aged children (or some really fun friends)!
Tree Hugger Workout
This is a perfect one for road trips because you can find a tree at just about any rest area and the exercises are simple enough for even very young kids. The whole family will have a blast and get out some pent-up energy after hours in the car! Do each exercise for one minute, then repeat the routine up to five times.
- Hip lifts/lower
- Tree hugger sit-ups
- Single leg tree sit
- Single leg tree bridge
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Play-Based Workouts
When is the last time you played tag? Sprinted across an open field? Climbed a tree? It is time to unleash that inner child and PLAY (while getting a great aerobic workout in the process)!
I love to play "Pac-Man Tag" with my kids on a sports field. The person who is "It" is a "ghost" and everyone can only run on the lines. You can play where the first person to get tagged becomes "It" or where everyone who gets tagged becomes a ghost and the last "Pac-Man" standing wins!
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Lauren Jones is a work-from-home mom of two boys, double stroller runner, exercise specialist, travel junkie, wanna-be ski bum, and playground workout fanatic who believes your active and adventurous lifestyle doesn't have to end after you have kids. Find more articles like this at www.runningwithkids.com. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
