Family Physical Activity Log

I don’t think any of us ever imagined we’d find ourselves in our current situation. I’m working from home full time, while my kids are home remote learning. We’re not allowed to leave our home unless it is for “essentials”. That means there is a lot of screen time and a lot of sitting. So far, things in our household have been going fairly well. The kids are handling their schooling like champs. Work has been extremely busy for me, and I need to really concentrate on separating “home” time from “work” time, but we’re making it work.

The silver lining in this whole quarantine thing for us has been the bonding time. Because we’re in front of our devices so much during the day, we’re making a concentrated effort to put them down at night. Also due to the quarantine, we’re much more sedative than usual. I came up with a fun Family Physical Activity Log that will help encourage everyone to be more active during this time – or any time you need to boost the kids activity level!

I created a printable log that is for one month. The goal is to achieve 30 minutes or more of physical activity as a family per day for at least 15 days a month. If the goal is achieved, a prize is awarded. What is the prize? Whatever you want it to be! Maybe it’s a movie night with a special treat of popcorn mixed with m&m’s. Or maybe it’s a special take out dinner. Whatever will encourage your family to get up and get active!

Printable Family Physicial Activity Log is for personal use only. Do not alter. Download the file to your computer. Open in Adobe Reader and print it out!

Below is how we’ve been getting in our family physical activity… for us it’s all about getting outside.

After work, Todd, myself and the kids get ready for a family outdoor PE class. Making exercise a family affair makes it 1) more fun and 2) keeps everyone accountable and motivated. The Governor of Vermont has given us the OK to go outside for exercise as long as we maintain physical distancing from people outside of our home. We’re lucky to have a local sports complex that has an outdoor walking path, track, soccer, baseball and football fields and bleachers.  Though most of what we are doing can be done anywhere outside – so find a place that isn’t full of other people and head on out!

Once we get to the complex we walk 1.5 miles along the path to get nice and warmed up. We chat and goof around and have fun as a family. Once our walk is done, Todd and I begin a band or body weight workout.We have additional bands that the kids can use, but we leave it up to them to join. Our goal is to show them that working out is not only good for you, but that it can actually be FUN too! And so far… it’s working! 

For a nice lower body workout we use heavy bands to do lunges, duck walks, squats, kick backs and plyojumps. 

For upper body, we set up under the bleachers and using random every day items we create our own workout – pull-ups, pushups, crunches, tricep dips, step ups, bicep curls, etc.

Mason has a new goal of achieving a chin-up. Each day he is learning to make the mind-muscle connection and is getting closer to his goal. I love to see the determination in his eyes.

After our band or body weight work, we do a lap around the track before calling it a night and heading home for dinner.

It is a great way to end a busy day and the fresh air feels so good after being inside all day long.

Last weekend we went for a family hike at a local nature trail. We had nowhere to go or any place to be, so we took our time – stopping to take fun family photos, being silly using logs as balance beams and jumping off from things, creating TikToks and more. 

I encourage you to take this time to spend more quality time with your family. This is a stressful time for many, so allow yourself the repreive of forgetting what’s going on around us and just being. Play games, draw or color together, try a new recipe, get outside if you’re able. 

How are you and your family getting physical activity during this time? I’d love to hear your ideas!