Spring into Action

8 springtime exercises to do with kids

A sunny spring day is a sign to shut off electronics and head outside. Fresh air and warmer weather melt away winter laziness and urge us to get moving. With the first day of spring on March 20, it’s a great time to start an outdoor exercise habit with your family. Here are suggestions, plus 20 fun outdoor games and activities for all ages.

Pull out the hula hoops. Find inexpensive hula hoops at your favorite local retailer for the kids and try a weighted one yourself. There

are hula hoop routines available on YouTube or just turn on some music and start twirling! Hula hooping helps tone muscles while having fun. According to the American Council on Exercise, a person can burn up to seven calories per minute hula hooping— that’s 210 calories in half an hour.

Take a family bike ride.

In order to get full exercise benefits, we’re talking about traditional pedal bikes, not e-bikes! Fill the tires and head to the nearest bike path. According to Global Cycling Network, cycling at a soft

pedaling speed burns about 300 calories per hour. Depending on ages and skill levels of the kids, you can pull them in a bike trailer or let them ride their own bikes. While it is fun to cycle around the neighborhood, consider heading for a destination such as the library, ice cream shop or Mission Bay, where there are 12 miles of waterfront paths.

Go for a hike. Hiking at Mission Trails Regional Park or along Guy Fleming Trail at Torrey Pines Natural Reserve is always a wonderful way

to spend a morning. Download the AllTrails app to discover more nearby hiking trails, plus info like trail length, elevation, degree of difficulty and average time it takes to complete.

Before hitting the trail, read our article “San Diego Hiking with Kids” for great tips: www.sandiegofamily.com/things-todo/out-about/tips-for-hiking-with-kids.

Enjoy the water. There are lots of great ways to exercise on the water in San Diego. Rent kayaks, pedal boats, hydrobikes, stand-up paddleboards and canoes in Mission Bay, La Jolla, Coronado and some inland spots like Lake San Marcos and Santee Lakes (pedal boats only). Check www.captaincalculator.com/health  to see how many calories you can burn with different activities.

Rollerblade. Rollerblading is a fun activity for families with kids as young as 4. If anyone is a newbie, roller skates have an easier learning curve. Gather appropriate safety gear before heading out—helmets and pads for knees, elbows and wrists. Health benefits of rollerblading include improved balance and strengthened lower body and stabilizer muscles. Best of all, the American Heart Association lists rollerblading as a heart-healthy activity.

Take a goat yoga class.

Babies are a sure sign of spring and what could be more fun than exercising while surrounded by baby goats? Some places even offer yoga with cats or adoptable puppies. These unique yoga sessions are often structured with exercise for the first part of the class and time to cuddle with animals at the end.

Play outdoor sports.

There are dozens of sports you can play together outside. Grab your racket and head to a local pickleball or tennis court. Buy your own net to play volleyball or badminton in the driveway. Kick a soccer ball and practice dribbling. If you have a basketball hoop, play a game of HORSE. Go to a driving range and hit a

bucket of golf balls or toss a baseball for a game of catch. The possibilities are endless.

Just bounce. If you have a trampoline, you know that jumping on one is an awesome cardio workout. According to a study by the Journal of Sport and Health Science, using a trampoline benefits bone health,

increasing density and strength in hips and spine. It is also a great way to improve balance and coordination. If you get out and bounce on a sunny day, it is a guaranteed way to improve mood and have fun with your family.  v

Pam Molnar is a freelance writer and mother of three. She enjoys writing about ways to improve health while having fun.