What do you think of when you hear the word exercise? Many women I talk to cringe just thinking about it. For most women, its not the actual act of exercising that makes them cringe, it’s the hassle of loading up the kids into the car, putting them in childcare, sweating over a machine for an hour and then coming back home to do it all again the next day.

What if I told you there was a better way? What if I told you that you could actually get a decent workout when you exercise at home while your kids joined you? I’m a busy mom of 4 and in order to get my workouts in, I had to come up with some pretty creative ways to make it happen from home. Follow along to learn 3 ways that I exercise at home with my kids.

Always talk to your doctor first before starting any new exercise routine.

1. Use your kids as resistance

I don’t recommend this if you have teenagers, and of course safety is always our first priority. But, moms of younger kids; you can use your kids to add some resistance to your movements.
Try just picking up your kids and setting them back down – gently please. Walk around with them, try some squats or even lunges with them in your arms or on your back. You can put a baby or a toddler inside of a padded laundry basket for deadlifts, or push the loaded basket around the house for some cardio.
Sometimes I will hold my youngest child under her armpits and do arm curls with her for a few repetitions. You can even lay on your back like you’re doing “airplane” with your kids.

2. Pull out those old toys and make use of them

Believe it or not, kids’ toys quite often make better exercise equipment than the expensive stuff you find in the gym. Take a peek in your child’s outdoor toy bin and see what they have lying around. Old jump ropes, slip n slides, sleds, skateboards and even wagons make for great tools to increase your heart rate and provide some opportunity for resistance training.

3. Teach your kids how to exercise and workout with them

One thing I’m noticing these days is just how much kids are attached to their electronic devices and how little they play. Play is so important in the development of a child at all ages. Play can take many shapes and forms and can also look like exercise to adults. I often include my kids in my workouts so the gain a sense of appreciation for movement. I’ve instilled this appreciation in them at a young enough age where they now think that working out with mom is a “treat” or a fun way to spend time together. We have a small exercise room with some inexpensive equipment, including boxing gloves and we love to sweat as a family.

Exercising doesn’t have to be difficult or even done outside of your home. Set a goal and get creative. Check out some of my videos and below and leave your comments or questions before you leave.