Hello!

22 Comments

February is Heart Awareness Month; it’s a time when we can teach our kids about the importance of heart health and staying active.

Doctors recommend that we allocate 60 minutes a day to blood pumping exercise to keep our hearts healthy and happy. And what better excuse to get off the couch and get the heart pumping than with fun activities for the entire family to enjoy?

Here are 5 fun things that you can do with your family to support heart awareness month:

1) Hula hoop games and activities

Hula hoops are an inexpensive toy that can inspire kids (and adults) to get their heart pumping.

Getting the hoop to spin around your body is a good physical challenge in itself.

Once you’ve got the hang of it, try spinning for longer periods of time or adding extra hoops. It doesn’t take long for kids to pick up this super fun activity.

To make things more exciting why not challenge your kids or friends and neighbours to a hoop off?

2) Head to your local trampolining arena

As surprising as it sounds, trampolining is actually form of exercise that can be just as good for you as running, cycling or walking.

This classic will make your heart pump while you’re having bucket loads of fun.

Have you thought about heading to one of your local indoor trampolining arenas, such as Flip Out?

Trampolining arenas offer the ultimate family heart friendly activity and kids of all ages can get involved.



 

3) Choose a day to keep the family on their feet

Running out of weekend activities? Sick of hearing ‘Mum, I’m bored!’?

Select a day and commit the whole family to spending it on their feet: exploring zoos, botanical gardens and historical sites are all great activities to get your blood pumping.

Not only will this provide an active day for the family, it’s also a great way to remain active without even realising.

4) Rock climbing

Rock climbing provides a fun workout that’s suitable for the whole family and all levels of fitness.

It can be done at any time, in any weather, and by anyone!

Most centres also host different walls to suit any skill level. Once you find your local rock climbing arena the kids won’t want to hangout anywhere else. This activity is not just good for your heart, but also good for your general strength and conditioning, as well as providing a sense of accomplishment. There’s nothing quite like looking down from the top of a wall knowing you have conquered it.

5) Frisbee in the park/ultimate frisbee

Whilst you can have a good time simply tossing a Frisbee back and forth in the park why not amp it up this February and organise a game with friends and family?

Have you heard of Ultimate Frisbee? Get two teams together and set up a field with lines at either end for each team to score across.  Each team works together to get the Frisbee down one end, a point is scored by completing a pass to a team member into the opponents end territory. Typically a game of Ultimate Frisbee ends when one team scores 15 points.

Get moving and give it a go!

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.com
We may get commissions for purchases made using links in this post. Learn more.
  • I love the hula hoop, I used to feel pro at it as a teen, might have to invest in a new one. Love trampolining too, need a new mat for ours

    Reply

  • great

    Reply

  • Fun ideas, I think I’ll join in with the kids too, lol.

    Reply

  • sounds awesome and looks great

    Reply

  • these are great! Not enough people are aware of the damages they are doing to their hearts!

    Reply

  • After a forecast check, going for an all day bike ride is always a fun family day, I found. Yes, bring LOTS of water. Dress for the weather. Bring some cash for emergencies etc. Pack sandwiches. With this in mind, a small backpack each is a good idea, or a carry basket of some form on the adults’ bike.
    Before you go, go over any available maps your council or state biking groups may provide. Here in South Australia there are plenty of wonderful biking trails available with local and state governments providing free online maps (and PDF files) of trails available. Many of them are totally off the road, so good safe fun. GoogleMaps also have some bike trails marked but aren’t always up to date and don’t always specify which are off-road. If you plan well, you can often select a path that passes playgrounds for an adult break time and a toilet break! Usually makes for a great dawn ’til dusk outing

    Reply

  • Sounds like amazing activities.. Things I haven’t done for years.. No.. Decades!

    Reply

  • I use too love freesbie when I was young and it just gave me a good idea with my family for next fun day at the park.

    Reply

  • All fun activities for the family to get into.

    Reply

  • Perhaps we all should try these things!

    Reply

  • I HAVE GOT A REALLY NICE SPARLY HOOLA HOOP. It is quite difficult to spin it around your waist for a long time. It takes practice!

    Reply

  • I would like to try some of the activities.

    Reply

  • Walk the dog, bocce or cricket in the backyard, kick the footy or soccer ball, shoot hoops… there’s so many things to do.

    Reply

  • Fun and fantastic ideas. Love it!

    Reply

  • Please consider the weather forecast when going out on outings whether it be exercise or sinply just leisure. You need to make sure there are some protected areas, toilets etc. (none of us can “hold on” for too long).Take plenty of water, keeping it cool or cold so it won’t make you vomit if you get too dehydrated. Trampolining sounds like a great idea. Most home now have safety nets around them. You spring on the surface so you aren’t putting strain the same as walking on a hard or uneven surface that you could twist your foot or ankle(you can hurt one part & not the other).


    • Good point about making sure there toilets as a lot of us cant hang on for ever! Also keep a pack of those marvellous wipes on hand. Quite a few public toilets have no paper!

    Reply

  • My 6y.o. son doesn’t mind a bit of hoola-hoop!

    Reply

  • Aaagh! Hula hoops have always defeated me!

    Reply

  • Simple walking is great too.

    Reply

  • Ultimate frisbee sounds like a blast!

    Reply

  • Nice list, I’d love to do trampolining with the kids. :)

    Reply

Post a comment

To post a review/comment please join us or login so we can allocate your points.

↥ Back to top

Thanks For Your Star Rating!

Would you like to add a written rating or just a star rating?

Write A Rating Just A Star Rating
Join