20 Fun Ideas for Active Families

I will admit that I kind of hibernate during the winter months. There are plenty of fun outdoor activities you can enjoy during winter like sledding, skiing, skating, etc. but I prefer exercising inside where it’s warm. Now that the weather has warmed up, it’s time for my son and I to start enjoying all of our favourite outdoor activities like bike rides, tennis, trips to the playground, etc. My casual workout gear was in need of an upgrade so I visited Marks to check out their new activewear line for women – Shambhala. Three words I’d use to describe this new in-house line: colourful, stylish & comfortable.

Each time I visit Marks, I leave with more than I had planned on buying. It’s hard to decide on which pieces to leave behind when everything is so comfortable and selling for a great price. On this trip, I left with a full outfit: 100 Wash Slim Yoga Capris, Short Sleeve T-shirt, Rouched Yoga Jacket, Medium Impact Sports Bra and Skechers Slip-On Shoes.

First of all, the pants, shirt and jacket are all so comfortable. This jacket is officially my new favourite spring jacket! I love how light the shirt is too and the back of it is really cute. As for the medium impact sports bra, you’re going to learn more about me here than you probably needed to know…

Shopping for bras is always a challenge for me. My bra size is a 30F which means I have to shop in specialty stores to find my size and let me tell you…it isn’t cheap! I had pretty much given up on sports bras because I couldn’t find one that could give me both full coverage and support. While shopping at Marks, I decided to try on a couple of sports bras and I was so happy with the fit! I fit into a size small but it still gives me full coverage. Not only does it properly cover everything but the support in it is great. I was very impressed and I think I need to buy more. I exercise daily so I’m sure I need at least three, right?

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the other items you’ll find in the Shambhala line.

Don’t forget shoes to complete your look!

For the special men in your life, you’ll want to check out the new in-house activewear line – Matrix. When you’re looking stylish in your new Shambhala gear, you can’t have your man wearing sweats with holes in them, right? Check out some of the stylish pieces in the Matrix line.

Now that you’re dressed for the part, here are 20 fun ideas for active families.

Fun Ideas For Active Families:

1. Go for a walk with your kids and play a scavenger hunt game. We have some free printables to help – Nature Scavenger Hunt, Outdoor Scavenger Hunt, Park Scavenger Hunt.
2. Go to one of the city’s free tennis courts and play a family game of tennis.
3. Pack a healthy picnic, put it in a backpack and take a bike ride to a local park.
4. Make a list of all the playgrounds in the city and try to visit each one during your summer break from school.
5. Play a game of shadow tag in your backyard (you tag a person by stepping on his or her shadow). Watch where you’re running though!
6. Find a community/neighbourhood garage sale and walk from house to house looking at all the items for sale. Yes, we have a free printable Garage Sale Scavenger Hunt game for that!
7. Play a family game of sports at your local park like baseball, soccer, flag football, etc.
8. Take your skateboards, bikes, or scooters to a skateboard park to play on the ramps.
9. Set a family goal (not individual goals – have the family work together to reach a certain number) of a certain amount of steps each week and use a pedometer to track them. You can choose a fun prize as a reward each week. This is a fun way to encourage your family to go out for walks together each night after supper. It’s a great opportunity to talk with your kids about their day without the distractions of iPhones, televisions and other electronics.
10. Go swimming at one of the local outdoor pools or plan a family staycation at a local hotel for swimming & waterslides. Running up and down those stairs for the waterslide is great exercise.
11. Walk through your local Farmer’s Market and pick out some healthy fruits and vegetables. Turn it into a game with this free printable Farmers Market Scavenger Hunt.
12. Set up an obstacle course in your backyard using items like safety cones to run around, hula hoops to jump through, streamer paper lines to crawl under, mini exercise trampoline to jump on, etc.
13. Go to the park and play Frisbee. Make sure to bring lots of water to stay hydrated.
14. Invent a new family sport – kids will love using their imaginations to invent a game, rules, etc. – then play together in your yard or at the park.
15. Visit one of the city’s splash pads or just jump through the sprinklers at home.
16. Play some classic picnic games like a 3-legged race, burlap sack races, games with water balloons, etc.
17. Go to a golf driving range for practice or, if your kids are young, go play mini golf.
18. Go on a camping trip together and go on hikes, do morning yoga on the beach, go for a swim in the lake, rent a canoe…the possibilities for activities in nature are endless! Here’s a free printable Camping Scavenger Hunt you can play on your walk.
19. Go horseback riding.
20. Teach your kids how to play some of the schoolyard games you played as a child like hopscotch, 4-square, etc.

I hope your spring is off to a great start! Don’t forget to get out with your family to enjoy that sunshine.

*Disclosure: I was compensated for this post; however, all opinions expressed here are my own.