10 Healthy Activities For Kids Your Whole Family Will Love

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One of my favorite parenting quotes is that most teaching is caught rather than taught. As parents, kids look to us as living examples of how to behave and live.

So as parents who desperately want to teach our kids how to have healthy habits and to be active, it’s up to us to be an example to our kids. That means eating healthy foods and living a healthy lifestyle ourselves. Our kids will see and “catch” on when we show and treat ourselves well. Being healthy and active is simply a way of life, not something that is an afterthought or a punishment to look a certain way.

Over the years, we have tested out many healthy activities for kids in hopes of finding physical activities the whole family would love.

Photo of family having fun and being active outside. Her post offers fun healthy activities for kids the whole family will enjoy.
Have fun with these fun, healthy activities for kids! The idea is to get the whole family moving.

Here are 10 healthy activities for kids that are tons of fun!

Remember, if you make being active fun and playful, you are more apt to have your kiddos put down their video games and electronic devices.

  1. Go For a Family Walk: We love going for walks as a family. It is a great time to get outside, get unplugged from our devices, and to be able to enjoy talking and hearing about our kids’ days. It is great exercise too. You can play different games with your young children if they get restless (I spy was always a good go-to for us). Or mix things up and play, I hear; you can also have them listen to different things and have you guess what they hear.
  2. Do An Exercise Video: When my kids were younger, they loved hopping in and “working out” with me. Now, as they are preteens and teenagers, I get eye rolls, and Mom, you’re weird. But the whole point is that they see me making exercise a priority. So if your kids are still small, let them join in and pick up a set of 1-2 lb weights for them, I know it can be a bit annoying to work around them, but it is a magical time to set an example. With many awesome workout videos available for streaming, you do not have to invest any money.
  3. Play On The Playground: Playing with your kids at a park can be a great way to work up a good sweat and raise your heart rate. As kids, we lived for active play. I remember leaving my house as soon as my chores were done and not coming home until the street lamps came on. Even as adults, we still crave and need playtime. It will help reduce stress and the risk of heart disease. So head to your local parks, set your phone down, and PLAY with your kids! They will love it. If your kids are older, bring a ball, shoot hoops, play tennis, or kick a soccer ball.
  4. Work Out in The Backyard: My kids love our family trampoline, and my kids are delighted when Kelly or I get out there and jump with them. Not only do your kids enjoy the benefits of jumping and rebounding as well as some much-needed Vitamin D. If you don’t have a trampoline grab some jump ropes, hula hoops, frisbee, or set up a four-square game, obstacle courses, or hopscotch. Outdoor activities are good for you and your kids; you both win! Some head outside for some fun! Try this play-inspired workout with your kids.
  5. Go Swimming: Whenever we take our kids swimming and Kelly, or I get in the pool, my kids love it. Our kids are here for it, whether we play a fun game of water basketball, volleyball, or handstand contests. When the kids were younger, I was subconscious about donning my swimsuit and getting into the water with my kids when I was heavier. My kids could not care less about the extra weight I carried then; they just wanted me. So show up and be present with your kids at the pool. I love reading a book poolside and getting sun as much as the next gal, but I always try and get in the pool and play for a bit with my kids. They need to see me have fun and be active. It is also one of the best ways to show my girls confidence in their bodies.
  6. Scavenger Hunt: Have fun with this, set up clues and have each “destination” have some physical activity that needs to be completed. Maybe add in some clues that are yardwork related. So you get some chores done and have fun. Chores we have used before picking weeds, raking leaves, picking up garbage, and planting our garden. All these are the perfect way to sneak in some activity and get shiz done. Always celebrate with a fun prize at the end.
  7. Family Bike Ride: Our kids love bike rides, especially during the summer when we ride to get snow cones or a treat. I am all for getting in good exercise and having some fun.
  8. Try Team Sports: There are lots of games you can play as a family, especially as your kids get older. We like pickleball, tennis, kickball, badminton, and softball.
  9. Indoor Games: On a rainy day, you can play many active games in small spaces. My kids love Frying Pan Game and the Pirate Game. But games like Twister, Throw Throw Burrito, Duck Duck Goose, and The Floor is Lava are some ways to get kids off the couch and moving on those icky weather days.
  10. Free Play: Encourage your kids to use their imaginations! Imagination and active play go hand in hand. Games like hide n’ seek and freeze dance help your kids to develop creativity and individual expression. So take time daily to let loose and allow movement to flow through you. My kids also love free-flow yoga, where we put out our yoga mats and stretch and move however we feel that day.

*For even more fun, healthy activities for kids, check out my extensive list of over 50 Fun + Creative Ways To Get Kids Moving!

Taking the time to make your health and your children’s health a priority takes a bit of planning and work – but it is worth it! By being a role model and showcasing healthy behaviors, we are helping our kids to become not only become healthy kids but healthy adults. #winning

Being healthy and active is not just about being overweight or looking a certain way. It is about honoring and loving these amazing skin suits we have been born with. If we honor them and take care of them, we are better able to do all the amazing things we came to this earth to do. – ok, off my little soap box now.

Andie Thueson

I get it; it can be hard if you need more motivation to help your kids be more active! We are all so busy nowadays and going in a million different directions.

Here is your why:

Benefits of Regular Exercise For Children

  • Support Physical Growth: Exercise helps support physical growth. Developing a good physical foundation from a young age helps to improve bone mass and density, helping to reduce the risk of developing bone-related diseases such as osteoporosis later in life. –
  • Improve Fitness Levels: Exercise helps to improve physical fitness levels and helps to improve overall flexibility, balance, motor skills, posture, and stability.
  • Weight Management: Helping your child maintain a healthy weight will help them build a strong foundation of good health.
  • Good Cardiovascular Health: By improving your child’s cardiovascular health, you help them to combat the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and metabolic conditions like type 2 diabetes later on in their life or, worse, at a younger age.
  • Cognitive Development: An active lifestyle has been shown to help boost brain function and brain development, as well as help to improve overall school performance.
  • Better Mental Health: Think about how much better you feel after a workout or a nice walk outside; your child will see the same benefits. So if you have a child with mood issues and controlling emotions, help them get outside and be active.

{Source Active Health}

How much physical activity does your child need every week?

Physical activity guidelines show school-age kids 5 to 18 need a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity every day. It is also recommended that the activity is at a moderate to vigorous physical activity level. A variety of different types of physical activity is recommended.

{Source: U.S. Department of Health }

Here are a few more parting thoughts on how to raise healthy and active kids:
  • Help your child to incorporate a wide variety of food groups. Eating the rainbow, if you will, will help them to create a healthy gut biome that helps them avoid illness and chronic dis-ease later in life. Have fun with this. Next time you go to the grocery store, encourage your child to pick out a fresh fruit or vegetable they have not tried before. Make it a game!
  • Limit Screen Time- this is a tough one, I know. But your kids will benefit from getting screen breaks and getting up and moving.
  • Include your children in making meals, help them to discover new foods they might enjoy, and help them make healthier food choices as a family. Explain why a healthy diet matters. Make eating healthier a thing the entire family does. The more your children are included and understand; the more apt they are to try things out.

I hope this list of healthy activities for kids helps to inspire you to not only make your kids’ health a priority but your own as well. Remember, most ‘lessons’ are caught rather than taught, So make sure you are giving your child a good example to look up to. Because you, my beautiful friend, are also worth caring for and nurturing.

Happy Moving!

Andie's signature

2 Comments

  1. This is such great info! I can’t wait to implement this in my life.

  2. Journa Liz Ramirez says:

    5 stars
    These are great activities for kids to be active. We’d tried some of these and I’m excited to have fun trying the others. Highly recommended!

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