Exercise with your kids, not around them

“I wish I could exercise, but I can’t find the time now that I have kids.”

I hear this a lot when people talk to me about their health goals. It’s an easy thing to do: use your children as an excuse to skip a workout. I know that sounds harsh, but using your kids as a reason not to workout is just like any other reason you can come up with; it’s still an excuse. 

I want to challenge this mindset a little bit. Instead of thinking about your kids as an obstacle to overcome, try thinking of them as a source of motivation. 

Why not make your kids a part of exercise? You don’t have to choose between being present with your kids and carving out a separate hour in an already packed schedule. Some movement is better than no movement at all. Even if it's unstructured, even if it's just, well…childsplay. 

Make movement something you do together. We don’t have to call them workouts. They can be “challenges:” a screen-free, family activity. Read on for some challenge ideas to do for quality family time. 

Kid-friendly fitness challenges:

Wall sit or plank off: 

Challenge your kids to a timed competition in a wall sit or a plank. Whoever stays up the longest wins. Both require no equipment and are sure to get your muscles talking– or burning if you’re trying to beat a human with endless amounts of energy. 

Animal Crawl Races: 

(All of these can be googled for a better visual)

• Bear crawl: on all fours, knees hovering off the ground

• Crab walk: on hands and feet, belly facing the ceiling

• Monkey crawl: from a deep squat, move sideways — reach arms out to the side, shift your weight to your hands, slide your feet up to meet your hands. Repeat to travel laterally across the floor.

Preschool children: Try these across the room or yard.

School-age children: Set up a "racetrack" with corners or other maneuvers to navigate. Take turns and time each family member so there are no collisions in tight quarters.

Adolescents: More complex courses, or multiple laps.

Squat Jumps: 

How many squat jumps can you do in 30 seconds?

Single Leg Balance:

See who can balance on one leg the longest. Advance it by continuously hopping around on the 1 leg without going “out of bounds” (pre-establish the area to stay in). Switch legs each round. 

A step further. . . my brother and I used to play this while trying to knock each other over. Rules were established that there was no kicking or hitting because this can turn to rough housing pretty quickly (sibling rivalry optional). 

Playground Strength Circuit:

This one isn’t with your kids per se, or maybe it is! Bring them to a playground and while they enjoy the swings and the structure you can find a park bench and complete circuits of bodyweight exercises. 

Some quick examples: 

1. Step Ups

2. Incline Pushups

3. Tricep Dips

4. Hang from the monkey bars

Circuit through the moves 3-4 times. 

Children are so creative. These examples will get you and your family started, but I'm willing to bet that once you give them this creative outlet, they'll come up with some even cooler challenges to be active with. After a handful of times trying some of these, leave it up to your kids to choose the next one. They may pick their favorite from the ones you've already done, or they may add their own twist to it!

None of these require a gym, a sitter, or a block of free time you don't have. They just require looking at the time you're already spending with your kids and asking, "how can this double as movement?"

A family win-win

These aren't just workarounds for you — they're good for your kids. Movement builds coordination, confidence, and body awareness at exactly the age when those things are forming. And working as a team, even in something as simple as a backyard obstacle course, teaches them to problem-solve and cheer each other on.

Here's what I think matters most: your kids are watching. How powerful of an example you can be for them. Imagine normalizing exercise so your kids grow up thinking of it as inviting instead of intimidating. Imagine showing your kids that taking care of yourself involves taking care of your body. 

So next time you think "I can't work out, I have the kids today" — flip it. You don't have an obstacle. You have a workout partner, an audience, and the best reason you'll ever have to keep showing up for yourself.

Having young children is a season of your life — a temporary one. But using them as an excuse makes it easier to find new excuses in the next season, and the one after that. There will always be a reason, no matter what season of life you're in.

And honestly? The season where you have the most influence on how someone else views health might be the most important season of all.