Get Moving This Weekend: Fun Family Fitness Ideas for Busy Parents

The weekend is here and you want to get some exercise in with the family, but between football (soccer) games, dance classes, and running errands, it can be tough to find the time. As the founder of RARP-ID Fitness, trying to stay active with my family is a top priority for me. I know first-hand how challenging it can be to fit in fitness as a busy parent, but it is so important for your health and wellbeing.

That's why I've put together this guide for fun, easy ways to get moving with your kids any weekend!

No fancy equipment needed - just a positive attitude and a little creativity.

Backyard Obstacle Course

Turn your backyard into an exciting obstacle course! Set up a simple path with things you already have - jump over the garden hose, zoom through a sprinkler (when the weather is nice), balance along a fallen log. Get the whole family involved in designing and setting up the course. Make it a friendly competition or cooperation game, timing kids as they complete the course or having them team up. Obstacle courses help build coordination, speed, and teamwork.

Pro Tip: Look for used playground toys at yard sales or second-hand shops to pepper into your DIY obstacle course!

Indoor Scavenger Hunt

Bad weather keeping you inside? Set up an indoor scavenger hunt to get kids running around and burning energy. Write up a list of items to find around the house, assign points for each one, and send them off to search. Get creative with your list - find something rough, something colorful, something that starts with "P", etc. To up the ante, give them a time limit. Make sure to have a fun prize for the winner! We use a game called ‘Fill your Pants’, which is very similar, a card picks an item or colour for an item and off you go.

Scavenger hunts encourage problem-solving, teamwork, and thinking on your feet (literally!).

Hula Hoop Games

A simple hula hoop can provide a ton of fun fitness activities for the whole family in your own backyard. See who can hula the longest or time each other for a minute of non-stop hooping. Have hoop relays, where kids race in a line passing the hoop over their bodies down and back. Play hoop limbo, testing how low you can go. Try trick moves like spinning the hoop on your arm or around your ankle. Hula hooping builds coordination, core strength, and agility in a way kids love!

Pro Tip: Weighted hula hoops let kids burn even more calories and build strength while hooping.

Family Dance Party

This one is one of our family games, as soon as I walk through the door from work, its dance off time!!

So turn up the tunes and boogie down together in an epic family dance party! Let each member take turns DJing a song. Show off your best moves and silliest dances.

Add fun props like wigs, hats, or boas. An impromptu family dance party is a wonderful way to get energized together and will have you all laughing. Dancing builds stamina, burns calories, and helps mood and positivity.

Backyard Olympics

Bring the spirit of the Olympics home with a customized family decathlon. Come up with 10 silly sports and feats of skill - backwards crabwalk race, hula hoop marathon, water balloon toss accuracy, handstand hold time, silly face competition. Give out medals at the end and have closing ceremonies. Backyard Olympics encourage kids to be active in a playful, cooperative way. And you'll build family memories to cherish!

Resistance Band Workouts

Resistance bands provide challenging, effective workouts you can do anywhere with limited space. As founder of RARP-ID Fitness, our Resistance Band kit was put together to be ultra-portable and easy to set up using our patented resistance band step anchor. Get the whole family involved in an interactive resistance band workout in your living room! Have kids mimic exercises while an adult leads. Do partner rows, where kids team up to pull the band. One person holds the band taut while the other runs in place driving their knees high. Resistance training builds strength and coordination. Our Aero-Band sets allow for endless workout possibilities.

Having trouble getting motivated to exercise at the weekend? I hope these tips will inspire you and your family to get moving together in fun new ways. Focus on bonding rather than burning calories. Approach exercise as playtime and it won't feel like a chore. You'll build cherished family memories while keeping your bodies and minds active. Happy weekends!