Family Time

Time spent with family is valuable time. Quality family time can be spent together while enjoying various forms of exercise working toward a healthy, fit family. Exercise increases our mood, builds positive self esteem, helps us to think better, and builds up our bodies promoting healthy people. Here are several ideas outdoor family activities:

• Play hard and enjoy yourselves.
• Take a walk, or go for a hike.
• Go on a bike ride.
• Go swimming.

Jog and bike together or skate and walk/jog together. Be together.

Are you looking for ideas for outdoor games that your family can enjoy? There are many great outdoor activities that children and adults can participate in together. Whether you do some of these with your kids and spouse, or you get your extended family together for a reunion or special event, these sport games can brighten up any day spent outside with family members.

Badminton: A backyard badminton set can provide your family with hours of enjoyment. Pair adults with children on either side of the net and have fun!

Basketball: Whether you have a basketball hoop in your backyard or you visit a local court that is open to the public, shooting hoops is a great way to spend time with your family outdoors. You can hold a pick-up game, play h-o-r-s-e or practice free-throws

Catch: Playing “catch” is a great outdoor family activity. Use a large rubber ball with small children. Advance to using a football (with an appropriate mitt) for older kids and adults.

Hide and Seek: Hide and seek is a classic activity. When playing this game outdoors, be sure that youngsters know the boundaries and establish a signal that means “game over, come out of hiding.” If very young children are playing, pair them with adults to ensure their safety.

Frisbee: Throwing a Frisbee is something that you and your family can enjoy anywhere. You can play Frisbee in your own backyard, at the beach, in the park and in any other location where there is an open field. There may even be a Frisbee golf course in your local community.

Hopscotch: If you have a sidewalk or concrete patio, all you need to get a game of hopscotch started is some chalk.

Jump Rope: Holding a jump rope competition is a great outdoor activity that children and adults can enjoy together.

Marco Polo:  Whether you have a swimming pool in your own backyard or if you visit a swim club or public pool to enjoy some time splashing around, playing Marco Polo is a great family water game.

Miniature Golf:  Visiting a local miniature golf course is a great way to enjoy an afternoon or evening out with your family.

Sack Race: Holding an old-fashioned sack race is a great way to have some outdoor fun with your loved ones.

Tag: You can put together a friendly family game of tag in your own back yard, or in any other location where there’s room to run.

Tug of War: If you’re looking for a fun outdoor game for large family gatherings, tug-of-war just might be the perfect choice.

Tennis: Playing tennis is a great outdoor activity for families of all sizes, as it is possible to play with as few as two people.

Volleyball: If you have room to install a net in your backyard, or you can play anywhere you spend holidays, playing volleyball is a good outdoor activity for family gatherings.

Get Outside and Get Moving

These are only a few of the many fun games that families can enjoy in the great outdoors. With so many options for outdoor activities, there’s no reason to stay inside when the weather is beautiful outside. Enjoy summer evenings too by bringing some family night activities outdoors. Get off the sofa and step away from the hand-held video games and cell phones to spend an afternoon engaged in a little friendly competition with the people you love the most!