When was the last time you went outside to play?

My daughter and I play outside together a lot. Whether we’re riding bikes, or going to the park or playing Frisbee – we like doing lots of things.

One of our favorite things is to go to our favorite spot by our favorite stream and climb around the big rocks. Here’s a shot of Madd on our last trip there.

Playing outside isn’t all fun and games – it’s a good workout too ;)

The thing I love about fitting movement in like this is, it doesn’t feel at all like work. Sometimes, exercising feels like a chore (yes, even for me, at times).

Having fun like this is a great way to fit movement in, work your muscles and get in some cardio work – and it doesn’t feel so daunting.

Ideas for outdoor fun:

1. Hopscotch – draw a game board with chalk on the sidewalk or on the driveway. Mix it up – it doesn’t have to be numbers, or you can make your board go higher than 10.

2. Obstacle Course – set something up in the backyard where you have to run, jump over things, climb under something, and maybe pick something up at one end and put it down at the other. See who can do it the fastest. Then, get silly – see who can do it with the goofiest look on their face, or, while patting their head.

3. Yard games – they aren’t just for family get-togethers ya know. Get out the badminton, lawn darts, or ladder ball. Heck, why not even have a sack race or a relay race.

4. Four-Sqaure – remember this one from Elementary school? Draw your court and have fun!

5. Hiking Scavenger Hunt – this is one my daughter and I just thought of last week. She made a list of all sorts of cool things she wanted to look for at the park (like, blue butterfly, brown leaves, yellow flower, etc…) and then we checked off everything we could find.

Adding movement in fun ways like this doesn’t feel like work at all. And, an extra added bonus – you get to spend quality time with the family!