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Simple Ways To Incorporate Exercise Into Everyday Activities With Kids

Today’s culture has turned “exercise” into something that requires another slot on the calendar, one more thing on an already-overloaded “to-do” list, or something to feel guilty about if your children aren’t getting enough of it.

However, as pediatricians focused on whole-child wellness, we’re here to reassure you that getting enough exercise is as simple as incorporating movement into everyday activities.

Moving Through The Day: Easy Ways to Help Your Family Get Plenty of Exercise

We want our patients to be well in body, mind, and spirit. We also know that living a healthy lifestyle – one that accommodates regular physical exercise – is one of the best ways to cultivate wellbeing. But with today’s busy schedules, it can feel impossible to build exercise into the daily calendar, especially if your child isn’t involved in sports.

Instead of thinking about it as “exercise,” think about it as consistent movement that gets the heart rate up, the blood flowing, and some strength-building over time. With a shift in perspective, you can imagine how your family can achieve more movement without overloading the household’s daily pace.

AAP Recommendations for Child Activity Levels by Age

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provides the following recommendations for activity levels and duration by age group:

3-5: Children need to be active throughout the day, with adequate times for rest. The goal for this age group should be at least three combined hours of light, moderate, and vigorous exercise per day. Fortunately, this age group loves to move, so observe their typical activities (running, jumping, playground play, dancing, etc.). Odds are they already meet this requirement.
6-17: By this age, children need at least 60 minutes of action or movement that gets their heart rates up. They should also engage in activities that build bone and muscle strength, such as running, jumping, and climbing. Keep in mind that if your child plays seasonal sports, they’re likely getting more than adequate physical activity during those practice months.

While an hour of activity may seem like a lot, it doesn’t have to be all in one chunk. Smaller doses of movement here and there add up to 60 minutes pretty quickly. Plus, making sure you and your children get a little extra movement into your everyday routine is one of the most important things you can do to prevent obesity and improve sleep habits.

Here are a few helpful ways to incorporate cardio and strength-building exercises into your family’s daily routine.

1. Create a 5-minute wake-up routine that incorporates movement

One of the best ways to wake up the body and brain is to breathe deeply and do some gentle stretches and movements. Depending on your exercise history or your children’s current extra-curricular activities, you may already have great ideas about choreographing your own 5-Minute Morning Wake-up routine.

If not, we recommend checking out:

There are multiple benefits to starting the day this way, not the least of which is that it provides passive bonding time with your children before you go your separate ways.

2. Park in the furthest spot in the parking lot

When the weather is nice, and you have a few extra minutes, practice parking in the farthest space in any parking lot rather than the closest. This one move can add a surprising number of extra steps to your day’s total. Depending on your location, traffic, and safety, you may be able to “speed walk” (or “mom walk,” as many kids call it) to your destination, which also elevates the heart rate.

Implement a similar mindset with all kinds of daily activities:

Picking up the pace for certain sections when walking to/from school, the bus stop, etc.
Using stairs instead of elevators.
Doing “laps” around the local library, checking out books in aisles you don’t usually browse through.
Doing some jumping jacks or calf-lifts when waiting for food to heat up in the microwave.

All of those extra steps, or a slightly faster pace, add up over time.

3. Bike wherever and whenever you can

One of the best things about Portland-area communities is their increasingly bike-friendly design and culture. Cycling is not only good for the body, but it’s also a simple way to help our planet. Think about some of the errands you run daily or on the weekends. Are any of them within reasonable biking distance (15 minutes or less each way)?

If you have little ones, you can walk or jog while they ride their bikes:

Around the block for a screentime break.
While walking the dog(s).
To get the mail outside

If your family is new to biking or considering doing more of it, we recommend watching Dr. Ryan Hassan’s bike safety videos together, then discussing them afterward to ensure the message sticks.

4. Use desk-designed movement tools for sedentary activities

We strongly support healthy screen time boundaries for kids and teens. However, since most schools use tablets or computers for homework, children may still spend far more sedentary time than we would prefer.

There are a few things you can do to keep kids moving – even while sitting. This tip can also benefit your kinesthetic learners, for whom “movement anchors thought.” By providing children with some of the following at their desks or their preferred homework hangout, you might also find that kids with ADHD have an easier time focusing.

Swap desk chairs for yoga balls or wobble chairs. In addition to keeping kids moving, these tools also help to strengthen core muscles.
Provide an under-desk bike or treadmill.
Use hybrid standing desks that can go up or down, providing more options for sitting and standing.
Try a wobble mat/balance board with the standing desk.
Take “commercial breaks” during TV shows or movies and do some movement exercises for 3 – 5 minutes before resuming the show.

These small adjustments in the daily homework/work station routine provide big bang for your buck, and many affordable options are available in online marketplaces or thrift stores.

Bonus Tip: Use timers to schedule study breaks that include movement. Something as simple as jumping jacks, running in place, push-ups, stretches, mountain climbers, and arm circles can be strung together for five-minute breaks. So can a bike ride around the block, a quick micro-walk or playtime with the dog, or a trampoline session. If your child has one hour of homework, this tip automatically adds 15 extra minutes of healthy movement to the mix.

5. Close the day with a 5-minute wind-down routine

Since you started your day with some gentle movements, why not create a reciprocal bookend when the evening winds down? One of the best things you can do to build healthy habits is to prioritize high-quality sleep. Creating a consistent bedtime routine helps the brain to wind down, and movement can be a part of that, too. Here are some examples:

6. Take advantage of the Portland area’s seasonal activities for families

Portland offers so much for families, including a wealth of seasonal activities. Encourage your family to set a goal of doing at least one seasonal or outdoor activity together each month. We have a few resources for:

Year-round hiking adventures (with the right clothing, almost any day is a good hiking day).
Indoor playspaces/activities for Portland’s wet season.
Spring activities for families.
Family-friendly fall fun.

Anytime your family heads out to do something fun in this area, it’s bound to include more walking, movement, or physical play than the average day at home.

PANW’s Winter Challenge: Integrate 15 Minutes of Movement Into Your Day

Getting your family moving a few extra minutes each day isn’t about losing weight or staying thin. It’s about creating healthy bodies and minds. Incorporating movement into daily activities makes it fun, stress-free, and easy to accomplish without any significant changes in the calendar.

Over the next 30 days, Pediatric Associates of the Northwest challenges our families to try some of these ideas. Decide which ones sound the most appealing, trying to add 15 minutes more movement into your daily life. Then, tell us what you discovered or how it went for you at your next appointment. We can’t wait to hear about it!