How to Fit in a Workout With Kids at Home

Wondering just how to fit in a workout with kids at home during these busy times? As a mom, our well-being and health often takes the back seat. With the responsibility of keeping another human being alive, it’s hard to focus on your own needs. The simple truth, though, is that in order to be a good parent, you need to take time for yourself to focus on your own personal needs and self-care. It’s much easier said than done, though. Often, those moments of self-care end up happening while your little one is present. A relaxing bubble bath quickly turns into making bubble beards with your four-year-old. Want to take a walk around the neighborhood? Get your double stroller out, and listen to a podcast while you walk them around. Need a workout? You may just have to do it while your kids are there. How? We’ve got the perfect solution for how to fit in a workout with kids at home. 

Screen time

No matter how much we detest screen time, sometimes it’s a necessary activity. Your tv is the best babysitter, so try to limit screen time for the whole day, until it’s time to workout. Turn the tv on to your child’s favorite show, and then put your own earbuds in so you don’t have to listen to their show while you get your sweat on. Try to time your workout to fit within the standard 30 minutes of their favorite show, so you have a better chance of them being entertained the entire time. Try doing a treadmill workout on a timer, to keep you accountable, so you start and stop with your child’s show.

                                               Incorporate your young child into your workout

If you have a child that is still small enough to be carried, use them for your workout. Hold them in your arms as you do walking lunges or squats, to add a bit of weight, and keep them entertained while you workout. It may be unconventional, but chances are that they will greatly enjoy the time with you and think it’s fun, and will add a bit of an extra challenge to your normal bodyweight workout.

Take advantage of nap time

If you’re anything like me, you try to capitalize on naptime every day. It’s the few hours you have to yourself every day, and it’s a constant struggle between doing the housework, and letting yourself have some “me time” to binge-watch your favorite show and scroll through Instagram uninterrupted. No matter what you choose to do with the majority of naptime, squeeze in a quick workout before you do anything else. Bonus points, you can turn on your favorite show while you do your workout. An effective workout doesn’t need to take longer than 30 minutes, so you’ll still have plenty of time to get the other things on your to-do list done, but make your workout the first thing you do as soon as your child falls asleep for their daily nap.

Play with your kids

It may not be weightlifting, but playing with your kids can help you burn those extra calories. Kick around a soccer ball. Have a dance-off in your living room. Play tag at your park. Have them race you. Give them a piggyback as you do laps around your house. Incorporating your children into your workout in a fun way for them gives you quality time that is valuable as a parent to bond with your child, whilst getting a bit of a workout in that you probably wouldn’t have had time for otherwise.

                                                                            Workout at the park

The jungle gym at your local park is practically as good as a gym. Jog to the park with your stroller, and then let your kids run around and play while you fit in a quick workout. Pull-ups on the monkey bars, lunges around the perimeter of the park, tricep dips off of a bench, incline pushups on the same bench, step-ups, and burpees on the sidewalk are all easy ways to get yourself sweating while keeping a close eye on your kids and letting them have a fresh breath of air.