Balancing fitness with parenthood can be a rewarding experience, especially when you turn workouts into quality time with your child. Incorporating your little one into your exercise routine is a fantastic way to stay healthy while enjoying precious moments together. It’s all about making fitness fun for both you and your child!
Movement and exercise are both important, and we find ways to incorporate them into our learning environment through indoor and outdoor playtime, as well as through fitness-driven enrichment classes. For The Gardner School’s on-the-go families, here are some benefits and tips for working out with your little one:
Benefits of Working Out with Your Child
Working out with your child can be beneficial to both parties involved. You can model an active and healthy lifestyle at an early age while reaping the benefits of spending some quality time with your child through exercise. Consider these four benefits that can come along with parent-child workouts:
- Bonding—No matter the activity, bonding is a wonderful benefit of exercising with your child. Even for babies, movement and interaction can enhance the connection between a parent and child. Lifting a child in the air also provides them with vestibular input to help their sensory system develop.
- Wellness—While an obvious benefit of working out with your child is staying healthy, it’s also an activity that parents of young children don’t always get to fit into their schedules. Even a little bit of movement and physical activity each day can go a long way in keeping fit and healthy, and daily activity even improves sleeping patterns in both adults and children.
- Healthy Habits—As children see parents enjoy fitness and integrate it into their lives, chances are high that they will grow to embrace those same practices and principles. Healthy habits are developed early, so it’s never too soon to start. Find the activity that brings you the most joy— it could be water Zumba, strength training, tennis, cycling, running, or something else!
- Physical Development—From proper head control to taking first steps, exercising with children can be beneficial to a child’s physical development. Working out with your child can help them level up their motor skills, improve their muscle development, and enhance their head, neck, and trunk control.
Tips for Including Children in Your Workout Routine
Including your child in your exercise routine can be fun! Finding the right activities might take some trial and error, so here are a few ideas to try out when you’re getting started:
- Hiking—Hitting the trail with your child can be a cool adventure! Children who aren’t walking yet will enjoy nature’s sights and sounds from your carrier, while children who are walking can observe the beauty of nature by keeping pace alongside you. Hiking is also a great opportunity to have some quality conversations with your child.
- Fitness Classes—Many gyms and fitness facilities now offer classes that include babies and children. From toddler yoga to a baby-wearing dance class, check out what your local fitness center offers and give it a try. The best part is that you won’t be alone on the adventure. Together, you can stretch and move as your child discovers how fun it is to move our bodies!
- Jogging or Running—A neighborhood jog or run with your child can be fun for you and your child with a jogging stroller. Toddlers and older children will enjoy watching the world zoom by at double speed as you jog to the nearest park for some playground time. Most infants will enjoy the ride and may even nap, depending on the smoothness of your path. There’s nothing more satisfying than accomplishing two things at once, so a successful nap and a solid workout is a win for anyone!
- Dance Parties—Play some music and start dancing with your child! Dance is a great way to work up a sweat, and it’s a ton of fun for children (and adults!) of all ages. The whole family can participate, and it can be even more entertaining if you let your child choose the music. Sure, it may be a little hard to groove to Baby Beluga, but you can bust out some creative moves to make your little one laugh out loud.
Above all, when working out with your child, make sure to pace yourself, be optimistic, get creative, and—most importantly—have fun. Busyness doesn’t have to stand in the way of your family’s wellness. Remember that movement and activity are enriching for everyone, so don’t worry about breaking a sweat or setting a personal record. Instead, focus on gentle movement, quality time together, and a playful attitude.
Growing Healthy Bodies and Healthy Minds at The Gardner School
The Gardner School supports the healthy growth and development of all our students through our full suite of enrichment courses, including many physical education classes like martial arts, yoga, gymnastics, basketball, and soccer. To learn more about what The Gardner School can bring to your child’s daily experience, schedule a tour today.
