Getting your child active and engaged in fitness doesn’t require buying expensive gym equipment.  There are many ways to use common household items to create fun and challenging workout routines. With a little creativity, you can set up an effective at-home gym for your child using things you already have around the house.  If they continue down this road of health, there will probably be a time where purchasing workout specific equipment is needed, but trust me, there is so much you can do before that point!

Use Furniture for Strength Training 

Chairs, tables, couches – these sturdy pieces of furniture can be incorporated into bodyweight exercises like pushups, squats, dips and more. Have your child do pushups with their hands on a chair, targeting their arm and chest muscles. Squats holding onto the back of a couch will strengthen their legs. Tricep dips using a sturdy coffee table will build upper body strength. Lunges around the dining table will improve balance and coordination. Get creative about using your existing furniture for resistance training!

Build an Obstacle Course  

Set up an obstacle course in your living room, basement or backyard using household items. Have your child crawl under tables, jump over low benches, zig-zag between cones (plastic bottles work too), bear walk across the room, balance along a tape line on the floor – the possibilities are endless. Obstacle courses will get your child moving and challenge their agility, balance and coordination in a fun way. Rotate the obstacles to keep it interesting.

Use Backpacks or Water Bottles for Weight Training

Add weight to bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges and pushups by having your child wear a backpack with some books or heavy items inside. Holding onto a full water bottle in each hand adds resistance to bicep curls, shoulder raises and more. You can also use bags of rice, cans of food or other household items as improvised dumbbells. This adds an extra challenge to strength training.

Turn Chores into a Workout

Household chores like sweeping, vacuuming, washing windows, raking leaves or shoveling snow can provide a great workout, especially when you turn them into a game. Set a timer and see how fast your child can finish the chore. Or make it a competition by giving your child a goal number of items to pick up or a section of the yard to rake in a certain time frame. Adding some fun challenges will make chores feel more like a fitness activity.

The great thing about using household items for exercise is that it avoids the need to purchase expensive specialized equipment. You can switch up the activities frequently to keep your child engaged without getting bored. And involving your child in setup teaches them to be creative problem solvers. Fitness should be fun – with the right approach, you can set up effective workout options for your child using simple items right inside your home.