A Backyard Fitness Centre
Jane Blanchard provides an overview of the five ways to turn your backyard into a fitness oasis for your child.
The days of watching the kids ride off into the neighbourhood on their bikes are gone. Most of today's parents want to have their children within sight all day long. However, this safety concept takes away some of the exercise kids used to have as they returned at sunset for dinner. Keep the kids in shape and safely in the backyard with some of these fitness oasis ideas. From inexpensive to investment-worthy, these exercise strategies will fit almost any budget.
Break out the Trampoline
Try not to scoff at this idea — trampolines are safer now than they have ever been, thanks to higher safety standards. Match the trampoline's specifications with your children's sizes for the safest exercise. Install the model with the durable netting surrounding the perimeter. The kids will be safely inside, falling against the net instead of the ground. Please encourage them to jump and frolic. The jumping action is an excellent exercise for the legs, core and arms. So much fun, you may not be able to get them inside for lunch.
Build that Innovative Jungle Gym
Jungle gyms are no longer those metal contraptions meant to rust away. Look for the colourful plastic types with almost countless configurations. These jungle gyms exercise nearly all body parts, from running upstairs to pulling the body upon horizontal bars. You may want to install sand or a cushioned ground cover under the jungle gym to keep everyone playing safely. The adults may find themselves trying a pull-up or two.
Install a Backstop
If you have space, try installing a solid backstop. You don't have to have a regulation baseball backstop, but one large enough to catch some practice balls. Encourage the kids to practice T-ball, baseball, kickball or other free ball activities. The barrier will save the home from damage and please the neighbours with no equipment lost to their yard. It even makes a unique statement if you plan on selling the house soon.
Invest in a Pool
Adding a swimming pool is probably one of the best ways to inject fitness into the entire family. If you cannot afford an in-ground pool, look at above-ground models. They come in all shapes and sizes along with varying prices. Choose one that fits your family and install it in the spring. Instead of sitting in front of the TV all summer, the kids can exercise in the pool for hours on end.
Offer the Basics from Your Childhood
Bring out some old-fashioned relics from your childhood to create that fitness oasis on a limited budget.Offer jump ropes, big balls and chalk to the kids. Create different fitness "stations" with each item as the main attraction. Draw hopscotch on the ground, sing jump rope songs and throw the ball around. Fitness requires activity and fun playing together.
The kids will indeed grow tired of some of these ideas after a while, so mix them up each weekend. Spearhead a scavenger hunt or game in the backyard, so the jungle gym does not get monotonous. When a family plays together, everyone gets in shape while rejuvenating the space around them. Who is ready for some fun?
Page Reference
If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:
- BLANCHARD, J. (2015) A Backyard Fitness Centre [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article189.htm [Accessed
About the Author
Jane Blanchard is a writer who enjoys doing DIY projects with her kids, fitness and hanging out with her family. Jane writes for Modernize.