We often feel guilty for not enrolling the children in extracurricular activities or letting them be on the device too long. When the children do start after school or weekend sports, sometimes the whole family end up being exhausted from the activities, transport or meal arrangement although extracurricular activities offer many benefits.
Moving our bodies and incorporating exercise into our days is something we all know is good for us and yet it can be so difficult to fit in, and it can be difficult to get our young people moving too.
The good news is that we do not have to join a club team or sign up to a class to feel the benefits of movement on our physical and mental health. Moving our bodies can help to improve the quality of our sleep, boost our self-esteem, increase our energy levels and decrease our risk of physical health issues.

So how can we get ourselves and our young people moving more? Here are some ideas for you and your children to enjoy exercise together -

• Try a dance workout video online or just dance to a favourite song
• There are lots of kids, teens and adult yoga videos available for free online eg. Cosmic Yoga for kids
• Walk the dog (or any pets!)
• Go to the park
• Do some chores such as vacuuming or washing the car
• Play movement games like musical statues or Simon says
• Try some sit ups, burpees or press ups – why not make it a fun family competition
• Use a balloon to play ‘keepy uppy’ or kick a ball around outside
• When you go to the shops, park a little further away from where you are headed
• Walk or ride a bike rather than taking the car when possible

Get creative, especially with young children, and play games which involve movement. Ask them to ‘be’ different animals, find some puddles to jump in, play hopscotch, blow bubbles and run around to catch them…the possibilities are endless (and we might find ourselves getting involved and moving too). Your children will not only have fun with you but also feel confident and emotionally connected with you.