Introduction
Importance of physical and social activities for health:
- Control weight gain
- Strengthen bones and muscles
- Enhance mental health and mood
- Reduce risks of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases
- Reduce risk of certain cancers
Indoor and outdoor physical activities do not have to be expensive in terms of materials and directions. Activities discussed include family bike ride, football, neighborhood walks, yoga, dancing and jogging.
Physical and social activities are good for physical and mental well-being of a person. The activities discussed in this presentation promote family involvement for the entire family. These activities can help in reducing cases of overweight, increase bone density, body strength, reduce certain types of cancers, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health and mood among others. Materials and directions required from these activities are not expensive.
Family Bike Ride
Activity description and venue
- The whole family can engage in safe bike riding around the neighborhood or tour parks
- Kid that can ride should ride
- Younger kids can be put in the bike’s cart and pulled by parents
Benefits
- Building stronger bones and muscles
- Weight loss and burn calories
- Cardiovascular fitness
- Positive mental attitude
- Enhance family ties
Directions
- Parents and children can safely ride their bikes around the neighborhood
- Younger children may carried on bike carts or seats
All the necessary materials
- Bikes and safety gears
- Water/drinks
- Backpack for personal requirements
The entire family can engage in a family bike ride because of health and social benefits. Bike riding is simple to organize, particularly when kids can ride without assistance. Bike riding is more than a fun activity because of its workout and social (family time together) benefits.
Bike riding is a form of an aerobic exercise with tremendous benefits such as controlling weight gain, promoting cardiovascular fitness, positive mental attitude and improving family ties (Clayton, 2013).
Lees and Hopkins have shown that such physical exercises can also improve “cognition, academic achievement, behavior and psychosocial functioning outcomes in children” (Lees & Hopkins, 2013, p. E174).
Play football
Activity description and venue
- Football (or any other preferred sports) can be played in the backyard within the family compound
Benefits
- Bones and muscle strengths
- Socialization
- Burn calories and reduce weight
Direction
- Parents may play against kids
- The game could take 10 to 20 minutes
- Have five minutes of breaks
All the necessary materials
- Football
- Good pairs of sports shoes
- Water
- Sweatshirts and pants
Many parents face a daily dilemma on what forms of exercise to do with children. Football can involve the whole family and provide fun, physical and emotional well-being for people involved. The game could be played in the backyard or in the nearest public soccer field. Children will control their weights, stay fit and have a great family time.
Parents may play against their kids and set football rules. Alternatively, male members of the family could play against their female counterparts. It is advisable to warm up before the game to avoid exhaustion. The preferred period could be 10 to 20 minutes with five minutes break for relaxation. The family can go to the nearest soccer field (or any field) and choose teams.
Neighborhood walks
Activity description and venue
- A short or long brisk walk with all family members
- A park or neighborhood is an ideal venue
Benefit
- Bones and muscle strengths
- Socialization
- Burn calories and reduce weight
- Improve relaxation and boost sleep
Directions
- All members of the family may take a walk after dinner
- A walk may be done in the park or nearby places
- Parents should lead their children for walks
All the necessary materials
- Not much is required for a walk
- Comfortable shoe
- Sweatshirt and pants
- Water
Walking is a form of promoting a more active lifestyle in the family. The family walk may be performed after dinner in the neighborhood or park. It is advisable to walk briskly for a given distance to increase burning of calories. Parents may opt to carry or push children who may not cope with fast strides.
Like any other aerobic exercises, walking enhances bones and muscle strengths, is fun, and helps members of the family to watch or reduce their weights. The Government of Alberta recognizes that such physical activities may improve relaxation and boost sleep (Government of Alberta, 2015).
Walks are good for all members of the family. It may involve any distance in the park or neighborhood. Not much materials are required for this form of exercise. A pair of comfortable shoe and sweatshirt and pants for every family member are appropriate. Water is also necessary for rehydration, particularly when going far from the neighborhood.
Yoga
Activity description and venue
- Yoga consists of different body postures mainly stretching and strengthening of the musculature
- Ideal venue is indoor during winter
Benefits
- Mental health
- Emotional balance
- Spiritual balance
- Good for sedentary people
Directions
- Parents can lead the way in yoga training
- The practice can last as long as necessary
All the necessary materials
- Yoga mat
- Yoga instructional books
- Yoga instructional videos
Yoga consists of exercise elements that entail different body postures mainly stretching and strengthening of the musculature and should bring balance to mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of people (Smith, Greer, Sheets, & Watson, 2011). This form of exercise is suitable for sedentary people.
During winters, parents can lead yoga practices indoors to help them keep in shape, improve mental and emotional balance. Yoga practices may not be limited in terms of time. Instead, it can last as long as the family requires it for a single session. Yoga does not require plenty of materials, but rather yoga mat, few instructional books or videos may be adequate.
Dancing
Activity description and venue
- The family dances as music plays
- The ideal venue is indoor
Benefits
- Helps children to develop motor skills
- Promotes fun and socialization
- Good for relaxation
- Helps to burn calories
- Improves postures and body balance
Direction
- Play the family’s favorite songs
- Let the music play
- Family members may take turn to dance or dance simultaneously
All the necessary materials
- CDs, tapes
- CD player
Music and dancing are good ways for families to help their children to develop motor skills. The family will dance as music plays. Dancing is ideal for indoors especially when the weather is bad outdoors, but can also be done at any time when the family has time to relax.
Dancing and music are great ways to have fun when the music plays favorite songs of family members. Dancing freestyles may improve fun and physical activities parents and their children. The required materials are music player, tapes or CDs.
Jogging
Activity description and venue
- Jogging involves running at a restrained speed
- An outdoor activity that requires paths or large open spaces
Benefits
- burning more calories
- Improving health of the heart
- Enhancing density of bones
Directions
- Parents may lead other members of the family
- Children may follow
- The whole family may jog while holding hands to create a blended family
All the necessary materials
- Comfortable shoe
- Sweatshirt and pants
- Water
Jogging involves running at a restrained speed for a given distance (Grote, 2014). As an aerobic exercise, jogging is a fundamental means of burning more calories, improving health of the heart and enhancing density of bones. As an aerobic exercise, jogging is a fundamental means of burning more calories, improving health of the heart and enhancing density of bones.
Parents may lead children in jogging or the other way round. Alternatively all members of the family may jog while holding hands to enhance blending. Jogging requires comfortable shoes, sweatshirts, pants and water.
Conclusion
- Physical activities for all family members have health benefits
- Family physical activities enhance bonding and learning of important life skills such as planning
- There are both outdoor and indoor physical activities for all family members together during all weather patterns
- Parents should provide the required materials and directions to support children
- Physical activities discussed here are low-cost and do not necessary require expensive materials
References
Clayton, A. (2013). The Many Benefits of Riding a Bike. Web.
Government of Alberta. (2015). Fun Physical Activities for Families . Web.
Grote, D. (2014). Are You Over-exercising? Washingtonian Magazine, 109-112.
Lees, C., & Hopkins, J. (2013). Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Cognition, Academic Achievement, and Psychosocial Function in Children: A Systematic Review of Randomized Control Trials. Preventing Chronic Disease, 10, E174. Web.
Smith, J. A., Greer, T., Sheets, T., & Watson, S. (2011). Is There More to Yoga Than Exercise? Alternative Therapies, 13(3), 22-29.