Indoor Fitness and Activities for Kids

Winter's around the corner, and the cold weather and snow may limit the opportunities for your children to play outside. But that doesn't mean they have to be sedentary. Below are some ideas to keep kids (and yourself) active and fit instead of sitting in front of the TV or computer all winter.

Sports teams: Look for sports teams in your area. You'll likely find a variety of options to choose from, such as basketball, indoor soccer and swim teams. Helping your children find sports they like will not only benefit your children now but will set a pattern of physical activity that can last a lifetime.

Family fitness or recreation center: There's likely a fitness or recreation center in your area–and it may even offer a discounted family rate. Going to the center together is a good way to keep the entire family active, as well as spend time together. Swimming with your kids, running with them around the track and teaching them some body-weight exercises are great opportunities for family time.

Indoor Swimming Is A Great Family Activity

Active video games: Not all video games are sedentary; many require movement and get your heart beating faster. Some of the best allow you to compete against other players, which gets more than one person off the couch! Kinect Sports: Season Two for Xbox is a great one to try.

TV workouts: Many TV networks have exercise programs you can do in your own home, or you can buy some workout DVDs or borrow them from your local library. There are numerous types of workouts to choose from, such as traditional and step aerobics, dance workouts and even yoga. Try out different types to see what you and your kids enjoy the most.

Try Something New - Like Yoga

 Indoor activities: You can also do many other activities indoors to stay active and keep your kids busy. For example, encourage your kids play with a jump rope, hula hoop or punching bag. For more of a fitness challenge, have your kids repeat the following indoor workout 2–3 times: 10 push-ups, 10 jumping jacks, 1 minute of running in place, 10 sit-ups and 10 broad jumps. Or, challenge the members of your family to a fitness competition. Events could include push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, high jumps, long jumps, arm wrestling and relay races.

What are your favorite indoor fitness activities?