The holiday break is a time for relaxation and togetherness. While festive treats and movie marathons are delightful, maintaining family fitness during this downtime is essential for both physical health and collective well-being. Here’s how to stay active during the holidays while making movement a fun part of your family’s celebrations.
Get creative with your holiday customs. Go caroling in your neighborhood to get those steps in, or organize a family scavenger hunt, provide everyone with a list and have them search for hidden treasures around the house or yard. If caroling, bring along a wagon for younger kids and load it with blankets and hot cocoa to make it an event everyone enjoys.
These traditions can be just as joyful and meaningful. The goal is to blend movement seamlessly into the activities your family already loves.
Cleaning the house, shoveling snow or setting the table, get everyone involved. Make it a family game by setting timers, playing music and turning the tasks into a fitness challenge of sorts. Turn vacuuming into a race or see who can fold laundry the fastest with proper technique. When doing outdoor chores like raking leaves or shoveling snow, take breaks to play in the yard or build a snowman.
These little moments infuse bursts of joy into necessary tasks while keeping everyone active. You’ll be moving your body while crossing stuff off the to-do list. Bonus points if you’re using eco-friendly tools and cleaning products.
Holiday cooking can double as exercise. Stirring, chopping and baking all involve movement — the foundation of exercise. Standing for extended periods burns up to 186 calories compared to sitting, which burns 139 calories. Get creative with recipes that involve the whole family, gather in the kitchen and whip up healthy treats as a team.
Try cooking plant-based holiday meals for a more sustainable twist. Assign tasks based on age and skill level to keep everyone involved and safe.
Bundle up and head outdoors. Whether it’s a nature hike, a family-friendly bike ride or a walk in the park, being outside lets you enjoy fresh air and reconnect with nature. It motivates you to exercise and has been linked to emotional and mental health.
The more you make these outings an adventure, the more excited the family will be to participate. This is also a great opportunity to teach kids about the importance of sustainability by picking up litter, harvesting the winter crop or talking about wildlife habitats along the way.
Rain or snow keeping you inside? Try games that get everyone moving, like charades, freeze dance for the younger ones or Twister.
If you’re up for it, you can never go wrong with an obstacle course. Use furniture, pillows and any other objects to create the course and have the entire clan compete. Divide into teams and create a leaderboard to track points throughout the day. Hosting your own mini “Olympics” encourages teamwork and keeps everyone’s holiday spirit high.
Encourage friendly competition and celebrate every victory to keep spirits high. This activity boosts physical fitness and strengthens bonds through shared goals.
Get super organized and map out daily family movement challenges for the entire break. Incorporate a mix of yoga, dance parties and simple bodyweight exercises like push-ups or squats to accommodate everyone — even the grandparents. This is especially important since over 21 million older adults aren’t meeting these weekly exercise goals.
Write the activities on a calendar and let everyone take turns choosing what’s on the schedule. Add rewards for completing certain days, like a movie night or homemade treat. A calendar with variety can motivate even the less enthusiastic members of your family.
When schedules get hectic or the weather is too extreme, turn to online workout videos. Numerous platforms have family-friendly classes like Zumba or beginner yoga. Pick a theme for each workout, such as a pajama yoga session or a “glow party” Zumba class with glow sticks. Make it a group effort by clearing a space in the living room and encouraging everyone to join, regardless of fitness level.
Feeling ambitious? Include two days of muscle-strengthening activities and three days for higher quality of life.
Volunteering is not just rewarding — it’s also an active way to spend time as a family. Help at a local food bank, participate in a neighborhood cleanup or deliver meals to those in need. Many volunteering opportunities involve physical activity, such as packing and delivering food boxes or organizing donation drives.
It’s a meaningful way to move your body and give back to your community during the holidays. Use this time to teach kids the value of giving back while ensuring everyone stays engaged and on their feet.
Tracking your steps or exercise minutes can make staying active a family challenge. Many apps allow you to set goals and share achievements. They help you stay motivated and celebrate your progress.
Involve the kids by letting them track steps with a pedometer or smartphone app. Celebrate milestones like reaching 10,000 steps a day to keep the momentum going. Turn it into a competition by seeing who can log the most daily steps or minutes. Offer small rewards like extra screen time or their favorite treat as an incentive to motivate younger participants. Tracking activity and progress helps visualize effort and builds a sense of accomplishment.
Leading by example can inspire the whole family to prioritize fitness. Small, daily movements now can encourage long-term habits in your family and promote a healthy lifestyle for everyone. So begin walking instead of driving to nearby errands. Everyday habits can make a significant difference over time.
Staying active during the holidays doesn’t have to feel like a rigid chore. These ideas will help you stay active during the holidays. Remember, the key is to find activities everyone enjoys. After all, a family that moves together stays together.
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