Exercise should be fun instead of "working out". Here are 10 easy ways to get your kids active without knowing that they're actually "working out" and burning some good energy.
Running
This is the simplest form of exercise and can be fun to add a game of tag or to "race".
2. Jumping
Fun jumps for kids to try include:
Criss-cross feet: Jump straight up, then cross one foot in front of the other; on next jump, switch feet and continue.
Hurdle hops: Jump side-to-side or front-to-back over a pretend hurdle.
Jumping jacks: Stretch arms and legs out to the side like a starfish while jumping; on the second jump, return arms to sides and legs to center on the landing.
One-foot hops: Lift one knee and jump on the standing leg; alternate. (This is a great balance challenge, too.)
Tuck jumps: Bend knees and lift heels high while jumping.
3. Exercise games
Corners: Divide kids up so that they each have a home corner. Then, have them run around the room in a circle. On your cue, they need to return to "home" and do a few easy exercises (say, five jumping jacks or one 30-second plank). Akpan suggests letting kids decide what exercises to do in each corner to give them ownership over the game.
Go back and hit it: On "go," kids run forward in designated lanes. Then call out "back," a prompt for them to run in reverse. Finally, say "hit it!," a cue to incorporate another skill (such as a tuck jump or squat). Again, give kids input on choosing the "hit it" skill.
Squat relay: Have kids line up on opposite sides of the room, facing each other. On "go," all kids run toward the center of the room and meet in the middle. They need to do three squats, giving each other a high-five with both hands in between each rep. Then, they return to the starting point and repeat. The focus is on the high-fives and the social interaction. If you have a large group, you could have the lines shift sideways between reps so kids meet a different friend in the middle of the room each time.
Traffic: In this BOKS variation of "Red Light, Green Light," there's more going on on "the road." Kids stop and start at red and green lights, but they also shuffle to the side for a yellow light, do bunny hops at speed bumps, link elbows and run with a partner for a "carpool," and even gallop when the cue is "deer crossing." Make up some more moves with your kids!
4. Indoor ball games
Some benefits of this are aerobic exercise, balance and coordination.
Some examples of indoor ball games that don’t require a lot of space include:
Tossing balls into laundry baskets
Hitting balls at a target with a household object
Catching balls with a plastic mixing bowl
Throwing, rolling, or kicking a ball against the wall
Other ideas include dribbling, passing, and rolling a ball back and forth between partners.
5. Skipping
Some skipping games to try include:
Hopscotch: Set up a hopscotch board (a grid of numbered squares) using either chalk (outside) or masking tape (inside). There are tons of ways to play, but with all of them a player essentially throw a small object (like a beanbag) onto one of the squares. They then try to hop, skip, or jump their way through the course without landing in that square.
Jumping rope: Have your kids jump rope for a timed duration. You can amp up the difficulty by asking them to go forward and back, or make it more competitive by seeing which child gets the most skips in a set amount of time.
Obstacle course: Set up a simple obstacle course with accessible items, such as a chair to skip around and a pot to skip over. Then, set a timer and have your kids aim to beat their personal records.
Skipping tag: Play tag, but have everyone skip instead of running or walking to catch their opponent. You can add variation by switching to hopping on one foot, all fours, or some other way of moving.
retrieved from: https://www.verywellfamily.com/easy-exercises-for-kids-1257391
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