Parents, you’ve got the hardest job ever – you have to soothe those screeching toddlers in public, claim the kid that knocked over the store display and, in general, teach miniature humans right from wrong. It’s a daunting job, and we commend you! We’re all busy, with growing lists of things to do and teach our children; from safety, manners, and educating them to general awesomeness. But so often fitness and physical health can take a back seat. With childhood obesity and diabetes rates rising, it’s becoming urgent to encourage kids to get outside and play. You remember playing? It’s what people did before video games and social media.

We’re all human and sometimes the thought of working out sounds like a fate worse than a trip to the dentist –at least you can just lay there when they work on your teeth, right? But think about that, bad habits are mimicked, and if you dread working out, studies show that more than likely your kids will too. Changing our attitude and the way we approach and treat fitness can have a huge impact on the habits our children form, as well as their long term relationship with fitness and body image.

Kill two birds with one stone: Family Exercise

One evening as I ran on my local trail, I passed a truly ingenious mom. She was getting her jog in but riding along side of her were two kids on bicycles. I thought, wow, what a great way to get a run in AND tire children out before bed! A win, win, fresh air, exercise and time with mom. Not only will chasing a bicycle brigade of children keep your running pace up but it teaches them physical fitness can be fun.

Family game night…Outside!

Becoming grown-ups, I feel we’ve collectively forgotten an important notion: playing games outside is fun! I have the most fun getting a group of friends together to play soccer or softball at a local park. For one night a week, why not change up the usual routine and get outside! Family tag, T-ball, Kickball- even Hide-and-Go-Seek in the backyard, playing together can be such a rewarding time, and before you realize it, you might even break a sweat! Remember, being more mature doesn’t mean that play-time is less essential to our happiness!

Make trips to the market an adventure

My favorite method to get children to eat better is by taking them to a local Farmer’s Market. Not only is it great to introduce them to where their food comes from, but it’s also a fun activity that gets them out of the house and moving! Just walking past the booths, smelling fresh, seasonal fruits and veggies, offers good exercise! I like challenging kids to find the most unique fruit or vegetable they can find and work it into a recipe! Kids gain knowledge of their local farms and learn the joy of cooking healthy food at home.

Getting outside and playing empowers the whole family- but especially kids. Have any unique ways to get your kids moving? Share them with us here in the comment section or on Twitter @Luvoinc