Make chores fun Turn chores into a game you can all do together instead of delegating one task to each person. Race to see how fast you can get the house cleaned, and then try to beat your old time the next week. Play music while you're dusting, doing laundry, or washing dishes, and enlist the kids to sing and dance while helping with the housework.
Ride the Rails Or walk them, if you prefer. More and more railroad beds across the country are being converted to trails for biking, hiking and walking. These non-motorized trails provide a close-up view of area wildlife and wildflowers and can be explored on foot, mountain bike, skis or horseback.
Make a Meal Together Plan a meal as a family that is nutritious and appealing to everyone, then take the kids grocery shopping with you so they can learn how to make good food choices. Have them help you in the kitchen, then sit down as a family to enjoy the results. Kids will feel like a valuable contributor to mealtime prep. And if they helped make it, they're likely more apt to eat it.
Go Geocaching Using a GPS device, geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunt aided by several websites like geocaching.com. By entering your ZIP code on the site, you'll be given navigation points to find "caches" in your area. You search for the outdoor treasures using coordinates on your GPS device and then share your experiences online. Kids and adults alike will love the experience of finding "treasure" and the ability to take what they find and leave something of equal worth behind for the next family.
Dance Off Have a dance competition with fun categories like "Best New Move," "Most Creative," "Fastest Dancer" – you get the idea. Take turns choosing the music and you'll not only get a fun workout, you'll get to know more about what really moves every member of your family.
This article first appeared in the March 2015 edition of the HealthPerks newsletter.
