12 Kids' Exercises For A Healthy, Happy Family

Here at Babo Botanicals, we believe that moving your body and staying active is essential for fit, happy, healthy families! The good news is that kids’ exercise usually happens during play. So, fitting exercise into your child’s day is probably easier than you think!

First, let’s take a look at how much exercise is recommended for kids. Then we’ll give you some of our best ideas for how to get your kids moving and having fun at the same time!

How Much Should Kids Exercise?

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, preschool kids should be active throughout the day and school-aged children should do one hour of “moderate to vigorous exercise” every day.

As an adult, it might be hard to stay active throughout the day or spend an hour at the gym. However, exercise for kids can — and should — look more like fun and games and less like working out at the gym!

As your child grows older, they may want to try team or individual sports. But until then, you can keep your little one exercising with some active playtime! That should be all it takes to get them moving and keep them healthy.

Plus, many activities double as quality family time. Win-win for everyone!

If you’re not sure where to start, we have a few ideas to help you out. Here are our 12 best ideas for helping your kids exercise!

12 Ideas For Fun Kids’ Exercises

No matter how many children you have, hold old they are, or whether you’re cooped up inside or able to go outside, you’re sure to find something on this list that your kids will love!

1) Move And Groove

Dancing is a great way for kids to get the wiggles out and move their whole body! Put on a few fun songs and let your little one dance their heart out.

Older kids might be interested in learning a line dance or following a song that calls out the moves.

2) Play Hopscotch Inside

Hopscotch is a classic game, and all you need is a piece of chalk and an empty sidewalk or driveway. But what about if you’re stuck inside?

No problem! Don’t let that keep your kids from playing this active game. Grab a roll of painter’s tape and tape hopscotch squares onto the floor. It’s lots of fun and makes for easy cleanup as well!

3) Go On A Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt can be a great indoor or outdoor activity.

If you’re playing inside, write clues for your child and hide them around the house so that each clue leads to the next location. Yep, this can be educational as well, but shh! Don’t tell your kids.

For children who can’t read yet, create a scavenger hunt by printing out a list of images of the things they have to find around the house.

If you’re planning to enjoy the great outdoors, give your child a list of things they have to find (or collect) in the backyard or on a walk. That leads to our next idea!

4) Go On A Nature Walk

Walking is a wonderful form of exercise for moms who like to walk and talk, but how can you get kids in on it? Make a walk interesting for kids by sending them on a nature adventure.

Similar to a scavenger hunt, provide them with a list of leaves, trees, and creepy crawlies to hunt for. If possible, give them a camera so they can photograph their discoveries!

When your family spends time outside, don’t forget sun protection! Wear hats and protective clothing, and lather up with a safe sunscreen. Babo Botanicals Sheer Zinc Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF30 is both effective at protecting from sun damage and safe for your kids’ delicate skin.

Our clear formula is plant based and contains high UVB/UVA protection. It protects your family’s skin with 19.0% Zinc Oxide, a non-chemical sunscreen ingredient, and moisturizes with skin-soothing certified organic oils.

Plus, it’s fragrance-free for even the most sensitive skin!

5) Stretch It Out

Stretching might seem boring for kids, but it doesn’t have to be. Make it interesting by turning it into a game of Simon Says!

If you’re a yogi and want to get your kids involved in your yoga practice, start small and simple. Bring them into your own practice — let them join you or simply let them run under or around you as you move through the poses.

You can also get them interested in the poses by telling them how the downward dog pose looks like their furry friend or how the superman pose is like their favorite superhero!

6) Splash In The Water

Even if your child isn’t ready for the swim team, being in the water is a fun and easy way to get moving!

Whether it’s in a blow-up pool in your backyard, the beach, or the community swimming pool, swimming is ideal for enjoying the summer and staying active.

Expert tip: For healthy locks after the pool, shampoo your child’s hair with Babo Botanicals's Swim & Sport Citrus Mint & Passion Fruit Shampoo & Wash. This purifying swim shampoo replenishes, hydrates, and purifies their hair, helping to remove chlorine, salt, pollution, and grime.

With natural aloe vera and cucumber, it’s gentle enough for babies and also effective for adult hair. Keep it on hand for the whole family!

7) Have A Relay Race

Relay races seem like something reserved for gym class, but you can easily do one with your child in your backyard or even in your hallway if you find yourself cooped up in the house!

To make it harder (and involve more muscles!), add a special challenge at the end of each lap. For example, if your kids are doing a relay race in the hallway, have one child run down the hall and back and then do five jumping jacks before tagging their brother or sister.

If your child can’t get enough of ballet, you can always work a plie or twirl into the relay race!

8) Be Animals

Don’t underestimate your child’s imagination! Call out the names of animals and challenge your little one to walk like the animal that you say.

They’ll use lots of different muscles and get their heart rate up as they lumber like a bear, walk like a crab, jump like a frog, and prance like a horse. Call out all sorts of animals and see what motions they come up with!

This is also a great activity to combine with music or animal sounds.

9) Ride Bikes

Riding bikes can be a good way to get the whole family together and explore your neighborhood or local greenway. Take the proper precautions with training wheels (if needed) and a helmet, then get your bike pedals (and hearts) pumping!

10) Play Follow The Leader

First, crank up some music! Then choose one person to be the leader. Everyone else has to follow, or mimic, what that person is doing. Later, switch roles and let a different person be the leader.

This is another game that can be done either outside or inside and with a big group or only two people.

11) Jump Rope

Just like hopscotch, jumping rope is another oldie but goodie.

Adapt it to younger children by laying the rope on the ground and having them jump over it. Or, to make it more challenging, move the rope like a snake and let them try to jump over without touching it!

12) Have A Ball

No matter what sort of ball you have around the house, you can think up a fun game! Kicking a soccer ball, shooting hoops, or throwing a baseball are always good options and can be done with just one or two people.

With three people, play a game of keep-away. And if you have more people and plenty of space, organize a game of kickball or dodgeball! Little ones will have fun simply rolling, kicking, or bouncing a ball.

We Like To Move It!

Staying active and exercising is important for happy, healthy kids. And as you can see, with the right activities, it’s not hard to keep them moving!

Try out our ideas for kids’ exercise and enjoy staying active with your children, whether outside or inside. Just make sure you have Babo Botanical’s Sheer Zinc Mineral Sunscreen Lotion SPF30 on hand so you’re ready every time you and your kids head outdoors for more fun. Play on!