Rainy Weather? 4 Ways To Keep The Family Active When You Can’t Play Outside
May Showers bring June Flowers – rainy weather – but May is also National Physical Fitness and Sports Month.
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans from the recommends 30 minutes of physical activity a day for adults, 60 minutes for children, at least five days a week. Here are some ideas for the whole family to stay active when the weather doesn’t permit outside play:
1. Rainy Weather Dance Party
No instructions needed! Turn on the music and let the kids AND adults turn your living room into a dance floor!
2. Indoor Mall Walk
Your local mall may have a “Mall Walkers” program; if not, create your own walk with the family! Use the stairs to go up and down floors whenever possible, and use the benches and chairs for triceps dips and step ups. Just pack your own healthy snacks – mall food courts typically have limited healthy options for meals and snacks.
3. Workout Videos
With modern technology, you don’t need a gym membership to keep the family active. From yoga to dance videos to indoor walking, there are hundreds of videos on YouTube that you can choose from. Many of these videos are tailored to include the whole family.
4. Circuit Workout With Older Kids
Again, use technology to your advantage – Pinterest has hundreds of circuit workout routines for parents and kids. Here is one great example, routine and image courtesy of Pen and Keyboard.
For more information and tips on keeping your family fit, visit www.fitness.gov.
Read our article on places for kids to play during rainy weather.
ENJOY!
Dr. Abha Sharma MD, IBCLC is a Board Certified Pediatrician and Lactation Consultant. She practices and resides in Southern California with her husband and toddler daughter. Her interests are healthy living and eating, reading fashion and lifestyle magazines, and of course, all things lactation.
