As a parent working from home, you might feel as though you are stuck with little restless balls of energy. An easy way to get your kids moving with you is by turning exercises into games and adding a ballet twist. Read on for some at-home exercises you can do with your little ones.
Cardio Warm-Up
- Start with 5 minutes of jumping jacks.
- Add ballet jumps like echappes to warm up the ankles and shoulders.
- Practice jumping from first position to second position.
- Try to land on the balls of your feet to the flat foot.
- Pick a number 1 through 20 and then have your kids guess that number. Once they guess it, you can turn it into a quick math equation to get their minds going and be focused on the amount versus the exercise.
Pike Stretching
- Sit in a pike position. Your legs should be straight in front of you in a parallel position.
- Sit up straight and roll out the neck in both directions as well as your wrists and ankles.
- Each direction should take at least 20 seconds to complete.
- Afterward, you can stretch by bending at the hips and folding your upper body forward. Hold this posture for at least 20 seconds.
- As you stretch, you can count how many breaths together out loud. For 20 seconds worth of stretching just breathe in and out about 10 times. Breathing enables the muscles to relax and stretch properly.
Freeze Dance
- This exercise can help improve balance. Have your child pick their favorite pose and their most challenging one while listening to music and take turns holding each one.
- Make sure their shoulders are dropped, abdominals are engaged and the legs are straight and turned out for the best support.
- You can turn this into a game with freeze dance. Don’t forget to involve a prize for the winner!
Strengthening Competition
- Wall sits can be a fun family competition. Allow the winner to pick a meal one night as a prize or choose the movie you all watch.
- Find a wall space and position yourself in front of it facing away. Legs should be parallel hip-width apart and you want to be far enough to sit on the wall with your legs parallel to the floor.
- Start your timer and let the competition begin!
Now that you understand what kinds of exercises to do with your kids, try writing down your planned exercise for the day so that it feels like a scheduled dance or workout class. Remember to wear your comfiest dancewear and you can even dress your little one in her ballet leotard to make her feel extra special! Enjoy this time with your little ones and have fun.
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 