Being active is an important thing for everyone, but it’s doubly effective when your children get to see you model a healthy life. Exercising when you have kids is great and all, but it’s not always possible or desirable to dump your children off at a gym daycare, or hire a babysitter so that you can go for a run. But have no fear! It’s totally possible to work out with kids. Here are all of my cheap, easy, effective ideas to help you break a sweat – and a smile – and get your kids involved, too!
I do have a few affiliate links in this article.
So here’s the deal: I want my children to see that exercise, or physical activity, is fun and good for you. It doesn’t have to be a big deal like a gym membership or some exclusive class. You can do it at home in your crap clothes, or on a walk to the park, just as long as you’re moving, right?!
The goal here is to help all the moms who say “I’d love to be more active but I have my kids all day so it’s just not possible.” Because it totally is! I’m far from my goal but I’ve lost 45 pounds so far without paying for anything, and I’m losing more and gaining a ton of muscle definition.
All you have to do is change your mentality a bit.
The goal here is to try to get 30 minutes of exercise at least a few times a week. That’s good for everyone, no matter what your goal is. If you’re trying to lose weight, I won’t claim to know what I’m talking about, but of course you want to be doing cardio at least part of the time you’re working out; however, don’t shy away from weights or strength training because you don’t want to bulk up. Muscle is denser than fat – one pound of fat takes up more space than one pound of muscle – so basically as you tone, you’ll trim down but the scale may not move. And muscle will burn calories even after you’re done working out, so don’t be afraid to do something other than running or walking.
Cardio
I feel like cardio is the easiest type of exercise to do when you have your children in tow. If you have to work out with kids, you can easily grab your stroller and go for a walk around the neighborhood. Let your older children get their bikes and scooters and even do a race at the park!
Remember, though, that cardio doesn’t just mean running and walking. Anything that gets your heart rate up and works your body, from swimming to bicycling, counts as cardio! Dancing around the living room is a perfectly acceptable way to work out with kids. So get creative and get them involved, too.
Speaking of dancing around the room… Find some kid-friendly music that gets your heart pumping and your mood soaring. My kids currently love songs by artists like:
- Katy Perry
- Owl City
- Emily Arrow (“I Am Yoga” is my daughter’s theme for life)
- Daft Punk
- Queen
- Elton John
- Pharrell Williams
- The Beatles
- Bryant Oden
- Eric Herman and the Invisible Band
- Raffi
- Joe Scruggs
And we rock out to soundtracks like:
- Moana
- Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
- The Book of Life
- Disney anything!
- Daniel Tiger
- Veggie Tales
I personally do three major things when it comes to a cardio work out with kids: I do the stroller walk thing, I use my treadmill while my kids watch something educational, and I walk around the playground set while my kids play on it. Sounds crazy, but you can easily burn some calories and start sweating while you do laps! Look closely at your neighborhood playgrounds, as I bet a lot of them have a sidewalk or track for your convenience.
One last option: find something on YouTube (or get some DVDs) that allow you to do cardio at home. You can certainly work out with kids and still get to use the TV! I know that there is everything from breakdancing to aerobics to even walking workouts! I’ve recently added some Zumba to my rotation – I pick songs that I like and make my own YouTube playlists so they just play one after the other. And one day, I will teach myself how to salsa dance too, damnit! Remember that you have to create a login but that YouTube is totally free, and you can use it on your computer as well as a smart TV or a mobile device. So no excuses, mkay?
Strength Training
This is going to be the more challenging category to explain. Strength training to me usually means weights, and even that has a wide range of acceptable exercises. But just like anything else, when you work out with kids you have to be creative sometimes.
Free weights are cheap and easy: they’re literally a handheld tool to help you build muscle tone (which, as you remember, also burns calories). In my mind, weights and strength training are an essential part of a complete exercise regimen, even if your goal is to lose weight. More muscle means more calories burned when your workout is done! So yes I even haul my bright little dumbbells on family vacations, along with my trusty old yoga mat.
I personally have one pound, three pound, five pound, and eight pound pairs of free weights. I have sets of exercises that I do while standing, and sets that I do while I’m laying on the floor (look for my notebook shapshots throughout this article). While I like to get a 30 minute workout in all at once, I sometimes have to do a little at a time throughout the day.
Another tip: do a dedicated workout while your kids nap or have quiet time in the early afternoon. I used to have to bring my free weights into my room, where my toddler slept, so that I’d be there when she woke up. I had to be quiet but I got the workout done, damnit!
As far as which exercises to do, I personally divide up weight days into abs/lower body, and arms. You want to give your muscles time to rebuild so don’t work out the same body parts more often than once every three days.
What I like to do in order to be extra efficient, is that I’ll pick two similar exercises and alternate both of them with reps of 16. For example, if it’s arm day (my favorite!), I’ll do 16 bicep curls, then 16 shoulder presess, then 16 bicep curls again, and 16 shoulder presses again. Then I’ll rest, stretch if I need to, and pick two other exercises which are similar and repeat those a few times.
Remember too that “strength training” and “weights” also include your own body weight! So doing things like planks and squats count, too. And trust me, they’ll do the trick. Or hell, get a few soup cans or other household items to use instead. Finally, um, how much does your kid weigh? Don’t tell me you’ve never tried to squat with a toddler in your arms! Babywearing is an amazing option, too.
And while strength training doesn’t look as simple a workout with kids as some of the other suggestions on here, with a little creativity you can still get results. Pinterest and YouTube are great free resources to start looking for ideas!
And these random notebook snapshots in this article are some of the exercises I got from Pinterest – if you’d like to see all of the ideas I’ve saved, check them out here.
Yoga
I can’t finish this article without having yoga on here! Yoga is a perfect balance of control and connection, strength and flexibility, power and peace. I adore yoga and I’ll admit that it can be challenging though it seems quite simple at first glance.
The easiest way to do yoga with kids is with the help of YouTube! There are channels specifically for kids, namely Cosmic Kids Yoga with Jamie, which my kids love. There are cute animations and little stories but Jamie does go through traditional poses, so it’s easy to work out with kids later as they’ll know some “real” yoga.
For me, Yoga by Adriene is a channel I visit at least a few times a week. She has hundreds of videos in a very real, easy to follow environment. I love her! And you can also look for YouTube channels that allow you to do yoga with your baby or toddler, too.
Finally, check out yoga apps or find a local yoga class with the Mindbody app. Some, like my local yoga joint, even have classes specifically for parents + kids. Ours is extra amazing so they do yoga and ice cream once a month!
Equipment-wise, all you really need is a yoga mat. I have a 1/2 inch thick one, which is not terribly cushy. I personally need a bit of extra cushion for my knees, but you can also put something like a child’s playroom floor squares or a blanket under the non-slip yoga mat itself. That’s all my daughter needs to do yoga with me, too!
Other Suggestions to Work Out with Kids
Stay away from weighing yourself too much. Not only can your weight fluctuate more than 5 pounds in one day due to a zillion factors – extra sodium causing water retention, post-workout water retention, your menstrual cycle, etc. – but it can become an obsession. And it’s not worth it! Remember that you don’t walk around with your number on your forehead.
If you do feel like you want to keep some formal weight data, you can use the Happy Scale app. It basically is data analysis if you choose to weigh yourself more often than once a week (as often as once a day). Happy Scale essentially says that weight fluctuation is normal, but it’ll show you progress over time and healthy milestones which you can set and adjust. I personally donated to this app because it’s a great cause and it’s a kickstarter-type situation. But technically it’s free!
Additionally, take your body measurements. I wouldn’t do this more than once every week or two either, but it’s another type of data to show your progress rather than just a number on the scale. You might be surprised that you’ll lose weight in places like your neck, forearms, and ankles! Pick some specifications and check the same body parts every time.
Don’t forget about drinking your water! You should drink half as many ounces as you weigh – so someone who weights 150 pounds should aim for 75 ounces of water a day. Get yoself a cute water bottle, set an alarm to remind you to drink, or use an app to help you remember and be motivated.
Another free app is My Fitness Pal – it can seem daunting at first, but you can track everything you consume as well as play with nutrition information and adjust your macros. The best thing about MFP is that they have every food you can think of, from organic brands to restaurant orders. And the free version still allows you to track everything and toggle your macros a bit if you end up working with a trainer or getting some specific nutrition goals.
I have a Pinterest board for fitness that has lots of ideas for weight routines and other exercise tips. Sometimes when I get bored or I need to change up how I work out with kids, I revisit this list. Lots of great ideas from other people – and like everything else on this list, it’s free!
Another free resource I’ve listed on here is YouTube. I don’t have any of my own exercise content on there, but I’ll definitely recommend things such as Yoga by Adriene, Cosmic Kids Yoga, or just searching “yoga with baby” or “baby wearing workout.”
I’m honestly having a great experience with Weight Watchers – it’s sustainable, affordable, and really works when you’re a busy mom. You can read my honest review here.
Don’t forget to check with your doctor about healthy parameters for you. They know your medical history and can help you determine a healthy weight and BMI. (And for the record, how you feel is more important than a number, especially BMI, in my opinion.)
A suggestion that’s very dear to my heart: it’s ok to turn on the TV for your kids so that you can work out sometimes. It’s ok to tell your kids “This is my time because this is important to me and you seeing me get healthier is important to you too” and having them do a craft or have quiet time or whatever. It took me way too long to allow myself to say “I need to do this for me, and there’s nothing wrong with that.” So make sure you have quality time set up with your kids on the regular, but do not deny yourself just because you think that you can’t work out with kids.
Finally, set realistic goals that encourage you, not daunt you. Maybe that is five pound increments, or the ability to do a certain number of pushups. Encourage yourself, reward yourself, and be your own best friend about it.
I’m so proud of you for reading this! It shows that not only do you care about your own health, but that you want to involve your family in the process. A parent who can work out with kids is getting double benefits, and it will stay with them for life!
Thanks for sharing and pinning this article! What other things do you do to work out with kids? Let me know in the comments!
I’ve just started doing yoga again. My one year old is always coming up to me and trying to crawl on me when I’m in various poses, but it’s a great way to get a work out in while she plays.
You’re exactly right in that crawling part! I have either my toddler and/or my cat literally on my mat when I do a yoga video. But it still counts as my workout, and I never want to tell my kids that they can’t participate. We just have to get creative sometimes! (And you can bet my daughter does downward dog in bed, too!)