Hey, it’s summer time! Instead of kicking back and unwinding. Let’s get moving for FREE (or really cheap)!
Gwinnett County is an affluent county in the Metro-Atlanta area that is located just 20 minutes north of downtown Atlanta. In accordance with a census done in 2011, the total number of population in Gwinnett County is at 824,941 and out of which, there are about 31 % of children that are below the age of 18 and are living with their parents.
After a chat with a couple of the parents at Golightly Fit, we found out that they recognize the importance of health and fitness not just for themselves but for their kids too. They really understand that a healthy way of life should start at a young age. So to help these adults stay active this summer, we’ve compiled list of quite a few physical activities that they can do along with their kids (or even someone else’s). Check out these ways to keep the kids active for FREE or really cheap.
1. Mini Boot Camp
If you take part in on of our Boot Camp sessions, it would be a blast to invite the kids on in the fun! Gather the kids in the neighborhood and organize a mini boot camp in your place in order for your kids to enjoy it even more. Prepare some equipment to use for the mini boot camp, such as ladders for them to jump over, a skipping rope, some rubber tires on the trees, crawling areas and several other adventurous things that you can think of.
Plan some challenges for the competing teams to play with, just make sure that they are the kind of challenges that are safe for the kids and something that will not lead to any injuries. You can do this activity once or twice a month to help your kids to stay active. If you want to do something a little more simplistic, try relay racing! Relay racing is a popular activity among kids, and your kids are sure to enjoy this.
2. Swimming
Another favorite activity of the kids is swimming. So if you live in Gwinnett County then you may already know how we have some of the best Aquatic Centers in Georgia. For just a few dollars per person/per day you can schedule a weekly outing for the kids. Several of these Aquatic Centers have olympic-size swimming pools with diving boards indoor and an outdoor playground and huge slides. If you are not a Gwinnett County resident, you can still enjoy these great attractions for just a few bucks more. Also, consider enroll the children in one of their swimming classes at $120 for 120 minutes (all ages).
Swimming is great for burning calories and helps to build lean muscles. For kids, it’s just playing and they don’t even realize how much of a great exercise it is too. If you want, you can also join in the fun and enroll for a swimming lesson or perhaps, be the one to teach your kids this activity. This will certainly make a great bonding session for you and your kids.
3. Bicycling
Invest on a good bicycle for your kids or for the entire family. Cycling is a fun activity which you can do as a group and it is a healthy exercise, too. Your kids will certainly enjoy cycling along with you and your hubby or friends in the nearby park. Also, if your kid’s school is just within the neighborhood, encourage them to cycle going to school to help them exercise. Golightly Fit strongly recommends that you encourage your kids to take up bicycling so they will grow healthy and physically fit.
4. Walking
When the sun goes down take the kids for a walk around the neighborhood or on a trail at a local park. It sounds too simple to be true, but taking a brisk, daily walk, even for 15 minutes, can change your life. You will burn calories and overtime you will speed up your metabolism. At under a half hour a day, it’s easy to fit into your routine. Taking a walk is a great way to connect with nature and relieve stress. Use this bonding time to just slow down and talk with your children.
5. Dancing
TURN UP! The music that is… I don’t know a kid anywhere that can’t help but move when they hear their favorite genre of music come on. One day this week, take a minute and turn on the radio or ipod and increase the volume as much as you can stand it. Be silly and just get loose! You will be surprised how much fun this can get for the kids and you! We love to jam to some techno, trance or house music. If you are really sociable, record and share with friends like we did a few years ago…
On a more serious note, research shows that a lot of kids suffer from obesity nowadays. If you do not want this to happen, Golightly Fit recommends that you encourage your children to exercise while they are still young.