What should you do with your kids for home exercise or PE? Some families struggle with this because of time, interest, or money. But here are some things you can do indoors and outdoors that require little to no equipment and only take 30 minutes!

Indoor Activities

I’ll start with indoor activities that we do if the weather doesn't permit going outdoors. We prefer this during the hot parts of our summer months because you can exercise in the comfort of your home and have the air conditioning turned on to limit how much you sweat!

Workout Routines on YouTube

Try a quick search on YouTube for workout routines to find something just right for you. That’s right— you as a parent can do workouts with your kids! Not only will your children get a chance to exercise, but you can shed some calories as well. The whole family could join in if you have enough space!

We stream the YouTube workout to our TV and place a yoga mat on the floor to make it more comfortable. We turn on the fans and have the air conditioner running, so it’s nice and cool.

Not only is this convenient, but it’s free! We like it because we can try thousands of different types of workouts: cardio, ab workouts, HIT, and even special sessions for sore backs. You can also find workouts designed specifically for kids if you’d like.

Cleaning & Chores Around the House

It may sound silly, but we break a serious sweat in our house when we clean and do other chores.

  • Since vacuuming is a task my wife assigned to me years ago, now my son has “inherited” this duty. Although we have a robotic vacuum, we still like to vacuum and mop the floors at least once a week. This can be a workout since we need to move stuff around to do a good job.
  • Cleaning my car (both inside and out) is also a good task to get some exercise. Though we have a car wash nearby, it’s still fun to clean the car by ourselves—and my son loves to help! While we clean, he gets to learn about car maintenance like checking the air pressure, important fluids, and adding window washer fluids. Then we do a good vacuum of the carpets. Occasionally, we wax the car by hand, which is certainly a workout that would get anyone sweating.
  • If you have a yard to care for, that creates more than enough activities for a good workout. When I was a kid, my dad assigned me chores like pulling weeds, trimming bushes, and (when I was old enough) mowing the lawn. Mowing eventually turned into a summer job that I used to earn a decent amount of spending money!

Regularly taking care of your home and car has so many benefits: you can spend time with your kids,  teach useful life skills, spruce up your environment, and keep both of you fit and active all at the same time! A regular schedule of cleaning, yard work, and chores can also be a huge blessing to your wife.

Outdoor Activities

Soccer Drills: Footwork & Juggling

Soccer is a wonderful way to work out the body. And you don’t have to be on a soccer team to do drills!

We like to do some simple drills to rest my son’s eyes between lessons (a suggestion by his eye doctor). Plus, it’s a fun way to break up the school day with an outdoor session and get some good exercise.

One great way to start is by juggling a soccer ball. This is one of the basics that every soccer player needs to work on and is also an excellent exercise to build up coordination and heart strength. You’ll see almost every soccer player doing this when they are warming up or just having fun. You don't need much space to practice—you can even do it indoors or in a garage if necessary.

Check out some simple videos by searching for “Soccer juggling for beginners” and you will find a suitable way to start.

Biking Rather Than Driving

In our city, biking has been promoted with a huge number of bike lanes and trails set up around the neighborhood. If weather permits, we like to bike to the store, a restaurant, or just for recreation. We love it when my wife gets to join us, but it’s usually just my son and I who ride around the neighborhood.

Robert and his son on a bike ride

Luckily for us, there are safe trails and sidewalks to use, so we don't need to be riding on the streets. If you don’t live in an area with safe city streets, you could look into local bike trails, parks with gravel paths, or boardwalks. Though it can be a lot of work to pack up all the bikes in the car, it’s always a fun time to get out of the house and get some exercise! 

Working Out as a Way of Life

As a homeschool dad, I love to find ways to exercise with my son. Though I’m certainly not a fitness guru, I’m aiming for my son to build up good habits to stay fit and healthy.

I hope that you will find, like we have, that exercise can be fun and rewarding with your family!

Photo credit: Photos courtesy of author.