When it comes to health and fitness, there’s little that comes to close the benefits of getting into the great outdoors. Whether for the adults, the kids or the entire family, there’s so much to do, see and to explore in the outside world. It’s practically effortless to get your recommended 30 minutes of exercise in.
As you might already know, a healthy and active lifestyle reduces our risk of heart problems or cardiovascular issues, diabetes and much more, so getting outside this season is vital to keeping our bodies fit and healthy.
For readers in COVID hotspots, all of these activities can be done safely and at a social distance, even outside of the home’s backyard, so fitness can always take a front seat even during lockdown.
That said, let’s take a look at our top outdoor activities for the whole family!
1. Start with a Walk, Hike or Jog
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If your family is new to getting in a little exercise, then the best place to start is with an explorative walk around your neighbourhood, a local park or just about anywhere you’ve not visited too often.
Head into the parklands for a hike if the weather allows and you’re feeling a little adventurous. If you’re not too keen on going too far from home, then keep your stroll to a lap of a few streets around your home and do some exploring of your local area.
This is also great when it comes to safety, as the kids will have more of an idea about where they live should they get lost.
To end, if you’re really feeling like pushing yourself, a family jog each day or once a week might also be a great way to get outdoors and push your exercise level a little higher this year.
2. Exercise or Play Games in the Yard
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For those of our readers who are more inclined to keep the fun in the yard, we have a few fun tips and tricks for you too.
Our favourite backyard activities are freeze tag, hide and go seek as well as simply playing a game of catch.
It’s good to keep in mind that essentially any fun activity in the backyard as a family is great for exercise and will often lead to the kids, as well as mum and dad, wanting to head out to do a little more — whether it be a run, a swim or anything else.
3. Try Your Hand at Skating
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Whether on the ice or on the pavement, skating is one of the more fun activities for the family, though there is a learning curve here.
As we’re sure you already know, skating is a lot more fun than running and adding a little extra speed and less effort is always fun. For the kids who aren’t as strong of a runner as the parents, you can strap them into a pair of skates and have them skate alongside you as you take your daily jog.
When it comes to a whole-family skating activity, then ice skating at a local skating rink is certainly our top choice.
4. Head Out on the Water
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For our readers who love their time on the water, then certainly consider taking the whole family out for a paddle, swim or for some water sports.
Of course, you’ll need a boat for these activities, and investing in a boat isn’t too expensive if you know where to look. Retailers and resellers like Grays make it easy to get your hands on a boat for the family, and you’ll be able to head out on the lake or to the bay without any trouble at all.
Try your hand at water-skiing or kneeboarding or just take a swim out on the lake.
5. Rent a Tennis Court for a Few Hours
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If your family are tennis lovers, then playing the game on your local tennis court is going to be a memorable and likely a reoccurring experience.
We’re happy to say that tennis isn’t all that hard to pick up, and with a local court rented and some racquets on hand, you’re all set to practice your aces on the family.
You’ll also notice that these sports are often great ways to let off some steam, so when sport becomes about more than just exercise, then tennis will be a great place to settle a friendly argument between the kids and get a workout in too.
6. Plant a Garden
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Bringing things back to the yard now, and planting a garden is another fantastic outdoor activity for the family that will give you some pretty great returns as well.
Choose a section of your yard that you can use for the garden and you’ll be able to start digging and ploughing rows for some of your favourite vegetables and fruits. Let each family member choose and plant their favourite fruit, veggies or flowers and you’ll be keeping everyone happy and be soon growing some snacks that everyone will love to eat.
7. Head Out on the Bike
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To go hand in hand with skating, biking might also be on the cards when it comes to getting in some exercise with the family.
Invest in a few bikes so everyone has something to ride and you’ll be on track to creating a weekly ritual where the family can head out on the local trails and do some exploring.
You’ll soon find that as a group you’re heading further and further from home each week and fostering an active lifestyle that keeps everyone fit, healthy and in tune with the surrounding area.
