Medicine: Exercising with Your Children

A crucial component to living a healthy life is exercise. As moms our days are full, so it can be difficult to find time for an exercise regimen or trip to the gym. But we are modeling healthy living for our children. Just as we want them to see us and join us in reading good books and eating healthy foods, they need to see us and be involved in exercise with us.

“As I tell my patients, just walking in your neighborhood for thirty minutes a day can make a difference. That’s because the evidence is indisputable: Exercise has a more profound and sustained positive effect on mood, anxiety, cognition, energy, and sleep than any pill I can prescribe.”

Anna Lembke, MD Dopamine Nation

Here are some simple exercises that require no to minimal equipment that you can do rain or shine with your children.

Walking/Running/Bike Riding

Push Ups/Planks/Pull Ups

Squats/Jumping Jacks/Burpees

Jumping Rope

Resistance Band Work

Setting goals, laughing together, enjoying challenges, and seeing exercise as a time for play and another way to connect with your child’s heart will help keep your child motivated to exercise.

Recommended Physical Activity for Each Age Group

Preschool 0-4 yr olds: 180 minutes a day of activity (infants- 3o minutes a day of tummy time while awake, playing on the floor, crawling)

5-11 yr olds: 60 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Vigorous activity should be at least 3 times a week.

12-17 yr olds: 60 minutes a day of moderate physical activity. Three times a week of activities that build muscle and bone strength.

30 Day Exercise with Mom Challenge

Here is a printable 30 day challenge to get you started and hopefully spark some fun activity with your children. Feel free to edit the challenges, create your own activities, or take more than 30 days to complete. Make it your own and enjoy moving with your children!