Let’s face it—even though we know that exercise and physical activity is important, it can be incredibly difficult to carve out the time to do it as a single parent. One solution is to find physical activities that you can do with your kids—doubling up play and quality time with getting some exercise too.
There are some classics that work well for single parents—riding bicycles together or going swimming, but you might also consider taking a yoga class or some other exercise class, or how about a dance class together? Hiking, camping, and bird watching are other ways to get some movement into your life, exercise, and build bonding memories with your kids. When my kids were small, they got a kick out of trying to do “dancing” videos with me but as they got older, I had to disguise exercise and “together” time more by actually getting out of the house.
It might take some creativity and some trial and error to find something that you can do with your child or children. You’ll have to find something that is interesting and fun for both of you if it is going to be something you do more than once. When my children were in the early middle school years, we used to go to a nearby wave pool recreation center—I could swim laps while they played in the wave pool and did “kid” things. While we weren’t really playing “together” anymore, we were killing several birds with one stone—I was getting some exercise, and they were too. Then we would have lunch together afterwards and have a little “together time”.
Single parents may need to get creative and find ways to get their exercise while they are also taking care of their children and families—but it is definitely worth it for the health benefits and the family togetherness.
Also: It Might Be Tough–But Single Parents Must Make Exercise a Priority
What Type of Exercise Fits the Lifestyle of a Single Parent?