Jan 30, 2015

Five Kiddo Workouts | Friday Five

Well, this week has been a bit of a wash for weather. After getting a great 8 mile run in Sunday night in 40 degree temperatures (which felt fantastically warm here in the northeast), we got rain, snow, sleet and colder temps all week. It has been less than ideal and less than safe for running outside. It means it's time to turn indoors. Of course, everyone knows the things you can do in the gym, but what about when you're at home, when you have no time to get to the gym or even away from the kids? What's a busy parent to do?  The topic for this week's Friday Five linkup is indoor workouts. I'm going to answer my own questions and help you to stay fit with your kids. This week's topic is


Five Kiddo Workouts

1. Baby Bench Presses

We'll start with the 18 lb press. I make good use of my 6 month old by pressing him up over my head with kisses in between. He gets the giggles, I get a smile and a light workout. For an extra challenge, I can lay on the floor and follow it up with my 3 year old when she asks for "My turn!".

2. Tackle!

This is a favorite game of my 3 year old. It goes like this, you kneel, she walks back, gets a big running start and just runs into you. You catch her and go back to the floor. Doing it without going down too hard gives you a small ab workout. Then of course, you can go straight into a toddler bench press (see above).

3. Horsey

Given the nature of the first two, you can guess this one. It involves playing the role of Sparky (horse to the Disney Junior's Sheriff Callie) with the 3 year old on top. It can involve of course all fours or more of a piggy back horsey ride. The alternate version involves sitting on the couch, where your leg plays the role of Sparky in a leg extension-like exercise.

4. Laundry basket shuffle

Ok, this is hardly a "favorite" but it is a good workout. We live in a townhome with laundry in the basement. That makes for two flights of stairs when doing the laundry. Make it a weekend of backed up laundry and that can be a lot of good steps lugging full baskets up and down. The kids come in when they want to help, or when the 6 month old sits in the basket too (shh... don't tell my wife).

5. Kiddo Back Pack

The last is simple: baby wearing (listing this will make my wife happy). With a variety of carriers and wraps, I can hook on either my 6 month or 3 year old. It makes them easier to carry and free your hands up for other things. My wife's become a baby wearing ninja to get things done, even having them both up at the same time. It can absolutely be a great work out, provided the kiddo stays happy. We've used it plenty out and about and it can make life so much easier, not to mention great for when they fall asleep being much easier on the arms.

Linking Up

Check here for some links out to others sharing, staring with our three lovely hosts: CourtneyCynthia and Mar. Check their posts (Eat Pray Run DC, You Signed Up for What?! and Mar on the Run to see the full set of links). I will add some others, usually randomly, as I read them to share the love. Go visit and keep reading!


Our hosts:

You Signed Up for What?!

Mar on the Run

Eat, Pray, Run DC


Some other good reads, pulled from the link up:




20 comments:

  1. This is so adorable. Love how you incorporate your kids into your daily fitness regiment. When I was little I remember grabbing onto my dad's arm and he would pull me all the way to the ceiling fan. We called this the elevator. ..haha. -L

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    1. That's great. Its fun for them but also good for me. The dad way of doing things I think.

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  2. Love it! Great ways to get exercise with the kiddos! :)

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  3. These are great, John! I don't have any kids, but I know lots of folks who do and have also shared some "creative" ways to exercise with them. Hope you have a great weekend!

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    1. Thanks. It was a pretty good weekend. Unfortunately we're head strong into the week now, haha.

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  4. hahahaha - this is perfect! i love it. especially the laundry and tackle - so cute :) have a great weekend!

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    1. My daughter actually gets a little bit of speed now, so need to be ready for it.

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  5. What a cute post! I love it and it almost makes me miss my kids being that age (almost!)

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    1. Thanks. Yeah, they're cute little balls of energy. Happy watching her grow, but I know I'll miss it when it's gone.

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  6. Love this post! My husband and I have a hard time doing some of these things with our daughter now that she is getting older. Why is it so much fun for kids to use their parents as a jungle gym?

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    1. Yeah, I don't know why that is, but as my son is now to the pulling himself up stage, he definitely does it too.

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  7. Great ideas! I'll have to try some of these out when our little one arrives in March! May to need to let him/her get a little bigger before I can really see results ;)

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    1. Yeah, you have a little bit of a prerequisite size, but once they reach that, it's all fair game. :-)

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  8. aw, what cute ideas! Love that you workout with the kiddoes.

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    1. Thanks. They're a lot of fun. My daughter enjoys riding in the jogger stroller too, which is a good workout, but that's not inside.

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  9. I totally do all of these workouts with my 3 year old! Except the babywearing...she was never into that. Tackle is one of my favorites. It's actually morphed into the Dirty Dancing finale where she runs into our arms and we lift her up in the air. (We call it "Don't Put Baby in the Corner" - no need to explain Dirty Dancing at this age :) )

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    1. Yeah, she'll run at you any way shape and form, sometimes it goes lifting her up, other times it's swing between the legs in a very swing dance style.

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