A fun family fitness challenge for a healthier household

School’s out for the summer. Parents can finally exhale and pat themselves on the back. You survived a school year unlike any other. But now you may be searching for safe activities to fill your kids’ free time.

Healthy habits start at home. When parents create an environment in which eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, and managing stress are priorities, children are more likely to adhere to these essential lifestyle choices as they grow. This foundation helps youngsters have a better shot at avoiding obesity and such related conditions as type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol.

But over the last year, the pressures of the pandemic made achieving a healthful lifestyle more challenging than usual, as families swapped such fitness activities as dance, karate, soccer, or the gym, for video games and screen scrolling. Now more than ever, it’s vital to make physical and mental health a priority. Summer break is the perfect opportunity to become fit as a family.

A fun way to do this is with a family fitness challenge. The goal of this month-long challenge is to encourage each other to be active five days a week. And by committing to this challenge as a family, you can grow stronger — mind and body — together.

You will need a bag of balloons, a towel or blanket, and a jump rope. As you perform these team-building exercises, remember to celebrate each other’s efforts and use words of affirmation to promote a sense of acceptance, success, and love. Think of creative prizes for winners, such as staying up an extra hour, rather than rewarding them with candy or treats.

Before starting, find a convenient time that works for everyone. For four weeks, you will engage in the following fitness activities. Sunday is an ideal starting day because you’ve had time to unwind from the weekend and can set goals for the week ahead.

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Kid Cardio. Put your best foot forward by stepping into the week with a family walk or bike ride. This isn uninterrupted moment in which you can openly discuss what’s going on in your children’s lives, plan for the week ahead, and simply spend some quality time with one another. Aim for 30 minutes.

Balloon Bounce. Turn on your favorite tunes and warm up with 25 jumping jacks. Each week, a new family member gets to control the playlist. Grab your bag of balloons and fill them with water so each person has their own. Mark a start and finish line about 10 to 15 feet apart.

The first family member to kick off the relay race will gently place the filled balloon between their knees and hop their way down to the finish line and back. Keep going with this relay until only one filled balloon remains. Whoever avoided popping their balloon wins.

Jog to Jump. Mark your start and finish line 20 feet apart, and place a jump rope at the end. The first family member will run as fast as possible to the finish line, jump rope for 10 rotations, then run (or walk) backward to the starting line. After each person has had a turn, repeat three more times. As the weeks progress, add jump rope repetitions in increments of five, so that by week four everyone should be performing 25 skips. Don’t hesitate to get creative with how you jump.

Brain Games. Lace up your sneakers and venture outside for body- and brain-boosting games. Exercises that excite the mind are a simple way to spice up your aerobics.

Try a game of “Follow the Leader.” Each member will get a turn to perform a different movement. For example, one family member can add three hops to every fifth step. Another can make a rule of running from one light post to the next on certain streets. Your goal is to keep moving for at least 30 minutes.

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Breathe, Stretch, Shake, Let it Go. Adults aren’t the only ones who experience the side effects of stress. Children and adults alike need an outlet for easing the burden of worry and anxiety that accumulates during the week. Release built-up tension through mindful movements.

Each family member will grab a favorite blanket or towel to sit on, forming a circle in the yard. Before starting, everyone will take a moment to say how they are feeling. Think of this as an open, safe space to discuss what’s on the mind. This is also a nice opportunity for each person to say one thing they love about those in the circle.

Now close your eyes, take a deep breath, and bring your arms overhead. Hold for two counts, then release your arms and breath in unison. Do this 10 times, followed by this stretching sequence that’s easy for all ages:

Ashley Blake Greenblatt is a certified personal trainer and wellness coach in South Jersey. To learn more about her virtual training program, go to ashleyblakefitness.com.