Family Fitness Ideas for Summer

Think going outside to play is just for kids? Think again. It’s warm and sunny and the summer is full of great possibilities. Here are some fitness ideas the whole family can get into:

Spend a week at a national park or forest. You can hike, swim, mountain bike— the choices are endless. The family that plays together stays together, so they say. So why not take a family class? Most locations offer tons of classes to choose from, whether it be karate or swimming, skating or boating. NOTE: If you are over 62, disabled, in the military OR in the 4th grade, you can get a free or reduced pass for all National Parks and Federal Recreation areas here.

Even in the olden days, families needed something to do. Try to recreate the days of yore with old-time games like graces and hoop rolling. If you don’t want to invest in a premade kit, you can find everything you need to play for just a few dollars at your local hardware store. Or how about starting a family water battle? Part of the fun is choosing your weapons, and after that… let the games begin!

If the outdoors just isn’t your family’s thing, don’t give up hope. Instead, plan a mall scavenger hunt. Make a list of items, send everybody out to take a picture of their assigned item with their cell phones and then return to the starting point as quickly as possible.

Active vacations make for unforgettable memories and can help family’s bond. No one will remember that lunch at the beach, but they won’t forget the hike up the canyon or winning that epic water battle.

Happy summer!