7 Uplifting Ways to Workout at Home as a Family in the Midst of a Pandemic

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You know that feeling when you’re in a downward-facing dog yoga pose and your toddler decides to park his entire car collection on your yoga mat, under the “bridge”?

Or on your treadmill for an early morning run and the kids decide to wake up early. And they need breakfast, a hug, or a turn on the treadmill? 

Oh, and what about sit-ups? Why do my kids always think it’s time to wrestle when I’m mid-crunch?

It’s frustrating, right? 

It took us longer to get motivated to workout than it did to actually exercise! 

As someone who’s done at-home workouts for the past decade—since I had kids—I continue to run into these roadblocks:

• When can I block out alone time to workout?
• Who can watch the kids while I exercise?
• I’m so tired. When they fall asleep, I want to sleep, too.

It became apparent early on that I needed to find ways to workout at home with the kids.

And when the pandemic caused us to be mostly homebound, stewing in our anxiety and nervous energy, we saw working out as a family as an opportunity to get mentally and physically stronger. 

Together.

So when Adidas asked me if I’d like to write about how we stay healthy by working out at home, I was inspired to share our family workouts. 

I was not paid for this post, nor am I a spokesperson for Adidas.

OK, so before I reveal how we workout as a family, let me share what keeps us motivated to stay active in 2020.

Why the Emotional Benefits of Exercise Are Our Priority Right Now

Who else feels anxious, stressed, or uncertain this year? 🙋

And if we feel it, we know our kids feel it. 

And all the usual coping skills we used to use to lower anxiety and stress, like meeting up with friends or going to the park playground, aren’t possible. 

My husband and I knew we needed to take care of our family’s mental health. 

And being more active seemed like a good place to start. 

Check out some of the emotional benefits of exercise. Working out can:

• Relieve stress
• Boost energy
• Treat anxiety
• Fight depression
• Enhance concentration and motivation
• Increase self-esteem
• Improve sleep

And the truly amazing part about that list? We don’t need to sweat for an hour to see results—as little as 5-10 minutes can suffice! 

With the emotional benefits of exercise in mind, my husband and I figured we could use physical activity as a tool to combat all the uncertainty and stress going on under our roof. 

Our kids had loads of nervous energy. And with schools closed and sports canceled, they had less active outlets to release it.

This was our chance to make a plan that would benefit our family’s physical and emotional health in a time when we needed it the most.

But now came the hard part. 

What types of family workouts are geared towards 3-, 6-, 9-year-olds and their parents? 

These ones! 👇

Ways to Workout at Home with Kids

I realize that this list may not have the level of strength-training and cardio intensity from my husband’s and my college volleyball days, but that’s not our goal at the moment. 

The following at-home workouts have improved our happiness, lowered our stress, and honestly, have been a blast to do together. 

Here are 7 ways our family is staying active during this pandemic:

1. Walk (or Ride) Mindfully as a Family

One of the easiest ways to workout at home is to take the kids around the block. It doesn’t matter if it’s on foot, bike, scooter, skates or skateboard.

Since distance learning started, we realized the kids needed to burn off steam before they logged in to their Zoom sessions. 

For 7 months now, we go for a 20- to 45-minute morning walk and bike ride. 

So, how is this done mindfully? 

Taking a mindful walk is a peaceful way to connect with yourself and the world around you. 

This only takes 1-2 minutes during our walk. And don’t worry about using the words “mindful” or “mindfulness” with your kids. 

Just follow these steps or check out this short video:

• Take a deep breath (and encourage your kids to do the same).
• Tune into your senses and point out details around you: a colorful butterfly, the sound of a train, the smell of flowers, etc. 
• Notice your feet grounding you to the present moment each time they make contact with the ground.

By calling our attention to these details, we release tension and become more present.

2. Compete Together

Never played a sport? That won’t matter to the kids. They’ll be thrilled with someone kicking or throwing the ball back to them—no matter what the skill level is. 

If you dribble a soccer ball for 15 minutes, I guarantee you’ll get your heartrate up. (Heck, it only takes me 5 minutes and I’m sweating!)

Some active sports that we enjoy include:

• Volleyball
• Basketball
• Baseball
• Pickleball
• Soccer
• Football

This at-home workout doesn’t have to be a full-length game. Just throw a ball back and forth, practice shooting hoops, or passing a volleyball and you’ll enjoy yourselves.

3. Stretch with Yoga

Yoga is one of the tried-and-true at-home workouts for many. Including me!

I only practice for 10-20 minutes, usually after our morning walk. 

How can the kids be involved? 

You can workout at home with yoga routines geared towards kids, or invite them to try a couple of the poses you do in your routine. (This is usually what I do.)

I post up in the living room and they come in and out and join me for a stretch or two. Sometimes they hang around for the entire video (especially my youngest).

Here are some yoga routines we enjoy:

• Sarah Beth Yoga
• Cosmic Yoga

Yoga is one of my favorite ways to workout at home because it furthers my mission to strengthen my physical and mental health. The meditation and mindfulness built into most yoga routines is comforting and healing.

4. Make a Splash

If you have access to the pool, working out at home with kids just got seriously easy (and fun)! Swimming and playing in the water is a fantastic workout. Especially if you have injuries that prevent you from doing other exercises (like I do). 

With young kids, I push them in their floaty back and forth as I swim laps. Or I pull them around with me as I chase the older kids in a game of catch or Marco Polo (with my eyes slightly open of course!).

As the kids got older and were able to swim, the potential to exercise in the pool increased. 

Here’s how you can workout in the pool as a family:

• Race each other
• Play keep-away
• Pretend you’re a whale, dolphin or mermaid, and have them catch a ride on your back
• Play fetch with dive sticks
• If you can put a net up or have a hoop, play volleyball or basketball

Swimming is awesome because it doesn’t feel like we’re working out. But by the end, we’re all exhausted!

5. Dance Like Nobody’s Watching

How often do we get to laugh and workout? Well, if you rock out and dance with your kids, probably every day!

And when you do. It feels amazing.  

Here are some ideas to get your next family dance sesh started:

• Stream your favorite dance tunes
• GoNoodle
• Nintendo Switch Just Dance (or YouTube videos of this if you don’t have a Switch)
• Freeze Dance
• Pretend to be a rock band (have someone on drums, air guitar, singers and dancers)

Before you know it, you’re laughing. They’re laughing. Your heart rate is higher than it’s been all day. You’re well on your way to the 10,000 step goal you set for yourself. 

And. Bonus: Your kids just added a few dance moves besides the Floss to their repertoire.

6. Tag! You’re It!

Good ol’ tag! If you don’t like running, and sharp switch backs and turns, this one may not be for you. But there are several classic games like tag that are great ways to workout at home. 

Take turns with who is “it” and create rules that are fair for all ages. (For example, when our youngest is “it” we have to walk instead of run so he has a chance to catch us.)

Here are some age-old outdoor games exercises you can do as a family:

• Classic, Freeze or TV Tag
• Hopscotch
• Simon Says
• Jump Rope
• Capture the Flag

These are a fun way to get energy out in a short amount of time. And I think the kids get a kick out of seeing my husband and I try to keep up with them.

7. Take a Hike

We are blessed to live near a plethora of kid-friendly trails. And when the terrain is a little steeper than our youngest can hang with, I wear him on my back in a carrier. 

Hiking invites opportunities to make new discoveries in nature, step away from screens and devices, connect with each other, and exercise!

Here are a couple tips to keep in mind when hiking as a family:

• Check out apps and sites like AllTrails to see what trails are open and kid-friendly.
• You can walk mindfully during a hike too (follow the points in step 1).

I know hiking isn’t technically “working out at home,” but if you have access to a trail close by, and social distancing is possible, it’s worth looking into.

Hiking has become one of our favorite ways to workout during this pandemic.

Working Out at Home with Kids Sounds Great… But I’m so Busy!

Yea. Me too. 

But after seeing the emotional benefits of exercise, we made a commitment to be more active. 

Here’s some goals we set and, for the most part, kept:

• Schedule a time to be active every day (even weekends).
• During Zoom breaks, take 5-10 minutes to be active with one of the suggestions listed.
• In the evenings, after dinner, choose one of the above ways to workout at home as a family.
• Eat a healthy diet (for us, it’s plant-based) so we have energy to be active.
• Be ready at any time to get up and start moving. You never know when the kids will feel inspired to crank up the tunes and start dancing!

And in an effort to achieve that last bullet point, I make sure I’m properly attired!

Go-To, Must-Have, At-Home Workout Apparel

I seriously live in workout apparel. Most days, you’ll find me in comfortable leggings, loose tank tops, sports bras, and lightweight running shoes.  

If I want to go from a serene morning walk, to folding myself into a pretzel, then busting out my best dance moves, and crawling across a floor to build Legos or play Barbies, I need clothes that give me the greatest range of motion and comfort.

And leggings and a comfy tank grant me that luxury. When it gets cold in the winter, I throw a long sweater over my tanks and pull cozy socks or boots over my leggings. 

Right now, my priority is staying active and being present for my kids. And wearing comfortable workout apparel all day helps me reach that goal.

A Note About Workout Apparel to My Vegan Friends

Since we’re newbie vegans, we’re still learning the ropes. But when choosing workout apparel and shoes, the best bet is to avoid animal testing, non-vegan glue (which is usually due to animal testing), and leather. Adidas now offers vegan options for some of its iconic leather shoes. And, according to this, they “do not tolerate animal testing on new product or material developments.” Something else to note is that you can search by sustainability on the Adidas site as well.

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So, the next time your solo, at-home workout is cut short (be it due to a wrestling match, toy parade, or the need to be held), take a deep breath.

Then pat yourself on the back for staying active. 

Now, consider ways to workout at home as a family. And use this as an opportunity to grow stronger together, lighten each other’s burdens together, and build a deep connection that will last well past this pandemic.

Now it’s Your Turn: What Do Your At-Home Workouts Look Like?

OK, so you’ve heard how we workout at home with kids. But we love trying new activities. Can you tell me how you’ve stayed active during this pandemic? 

Leave me a comment below with your favorite ways to workout at home!

Stay mindful, even when your mind’s full,
~Chelsea

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