We have been stuck at home and unable to use public spaces for months. Summer is in full swing and playgrounds in many states have now opened, despite the current pandemic. While we must watch for crowds and keep our hands clean, it is possible for the kids to play and grown-ups to get in a workout if your playground has reopened!
I usually watch my kids play as I sit on the bench relaxing, but wondered what I could be doing that would also count as some good exercise.
Thanks to Coach Kimmy of Chicago, I no longer have to wonder! Here are 10 family exercises that you can do together while visiting a playground:
1. Hang Like A Monkey
- Grab the monkey bars with both of your hands and let your body hang straight.
- From this position, bring both legs up straight so that your body is in an "L" position.
- Make monkey noises (optional!).
- Do 10 reps.
- This works your shoulders and abs.
2. Ice Cream Bench Dips
- Find any park bench, ladder, or stairs and place both palms of your hands on it with your back toward the bench.
- Put your legs out straight in front of you with your heels in the ground.
- Bend arms down and then up.
- Pretend like you are dipping your bum in ice cream without touching the ground!
- Do 15 reps.
- This works your triceps.
3. Bench Bunny Hop Overs
- Find any park bench and place your right foot in the center of the bench, and your left foot on the ground (left side of the bench).
- Next, lower into a squat, and then quickly hop over to the other side so that your left foot will now be in the center of the bench, and your right foot will be on the ground (right-hand side).
- Repeat this movement alternating sides and going quickly!
- Do 10 reps per side, 20 total.
4. Feet Touch The Sky Reverse Push-ups
- Find any bench and place both toes on the bench with your hands on the ground in front of you.
- Your body will be parallel to the ground.
- Do 20 push-ups in this position. Too easy? Try 10 with your right leg in the air and then 10 with your left leg in the air.
- Touch the sky with your feet!
5. Reverse Lunge Grasshopper Jumps
- Find any bench and place your right toe on the bench and take your left foot forward on the ground in front of you. You will be in a reverse lunge position.
- Next, go down into your lunge, and then on the way "up" from the lunge, have your left foot leave the ground.
- Repeat 12 reps per leg and then switch leg position.
- You’ll be strong and jumping like a grasshopper after this exercise!
6. Single-Leg London Bridges Falling Down
- Find any bench or steps and place your right heel on the bench with your back on the ground.
- Place your hands face down on the ground and arms straight by your sides.
- With your left leg straight in the air, lift and lower yourself up and down so that you engage your right glute (a.k.a. bum).
- Do 15 reps per leg then switch leg position.
7. Frog Jump Burpee Race
- Find a good stretch of grass.
- Do one frog jump, followed by one burpee (place your hands on the ground and jump your feet back so you are in a push-up position, then jump your feet into your hands and stand up) right as you come out of the frog jump.
- Do 8 down and then 8 back.
- Try to out-jump a friend!
8. Walk The Plank
- Time to do a 2-minute plank! Place your forearms or hands directly under your shoulders and stretch your legs out behind you with your toes touching the ground.
- Keep your body firm and straight, as if someone could “walk the plank” down your body.
- The first minute is a regular plank hold.
- The second minute is going from your forearms to your hands one arm at a time. Think "up up, down down" staying in the plank position.
9. Superhero Sprints
- Find a good stretch of grass.
- Do 5 sets of sprints. Pretend you are wearing a cape, or put one on for fun!
- Down and back counts as 1 "sprint."
10. Army Sit-Ups
- Find a piece of park equipment to anchor your feet (a bench, the bottom of a slide, a ladder).
- Lay on your back, with your feet anchored, cross your arms over your chest.
- Do as many full-body sit-ups as you can for 90 seconds.
Coach Kimmy makes exercising fun for all ages with her creativity and love for children being active and healthy.
