Family Friendly Physical
Activities
“Family is one of nature’s masterpieces.”
~ George Santayana
What Counts as Physical Activity?
• Simply moving your body
– Climbing the stairs
– Walking to your car
– Cleaning the house
• Aim for MODERATE physical
activity
– A brisk walk
– Dancing
How much is enough?
• Adults – 30-60 minutes of moderate
physical activity most days of the week
• Children – 60 minutes of moderate
physical activity most every day
Regular physical activity:
• Promotes a longer, healthier life.
– Maintain healthy weight
– Better quality sleep
• Strengthens and maintains bones and muscles
• Builds endurance, flexibility and strength
• Reduces the risk of heart disease,
colon cancer, type 2 diabetes and
high blood pressure.
More Healthy Benefits
• Spend more active, quality time as a
family.
• Develop positive character traits and
interpersonal skills.
• Helps develop life skills, such as:
– Problem solving
– Cooperation
– Compromise
– Teamwork
Your important role
• You can help your children by:
– Setting a good example
– Playing together instead of
watching TV together
– Making it safe to be active
– Planning for physical activity
Plan ahead for family activity
• Keep a crate or plastic bin in the back
of your car that contains sports
equipment so you’re always ready for
activity.
• Let each family member contribute
something to the bin.
• You don’t need to use a lot of trunk
space, just be creative! Try including:
–
–
–
–
Beach balls or other inflatable balls
A kite
Frisbee
First Aid kit with sunscreen!
24 Family Fitness Fun Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Go bowling.
Take up karate.
Go for a hike.
Take a bike ride.
Walk through the zoo.
Explore a skate park.
Participate in fundraising
walks.
8. Wash the family car.
24 Family Fitness Fun Activities
9. Plant a garden.
10. Build a snowman.
11. Have a pillow fight.
12. Adopt a park and keep it
clean.
13. Take Zumba lessons.
14. Learn to Hula.
15. Go rock climbing.
16. Go on a scavenger hunt.
24 Family Fitness Fun Activities
17. Go camping.
18. Do yoga.
19. Go sledding.
20. Play hide and seek.
21. Play frisbee golf.
22. Dance at a hoedown.
23. Try Tai Chi.
24. Play in the sprinkler.
More Ideas
• Utilize other resources to find new ideas to
be active as a family or a classroom:
• Local library
• PE or Health teacher
• Community
• Internet resources
• Team Nutrition resources:
www.teamnutrition.usda.gov
What’s Stopping You?
• Take a few minutes and complete the
handout called Make Room for Physical
Activity!
“The Plan”
• Did you find that you had similar barriers
as others in your group?
• What kinds of solutions did
you come up with?
• What’s “The Plan”?
Power Panther Professionals
School-Wide
• Announce to students that teachers will be
focusing on increasing their levels of physical
activity. Encourage students to “catch”
teachers doing something physically active.
• Start a walking club
• Take students on a 10-minute walk.
• Incorporate physical activity into a lesson plan.
• Sponsor a school-wide fitness activity like a
fitness night or an intramural league.