Brought to you by the NFL and the American Heart Association

Looking for ways to get your kids off the sidelines and into physical activity? Fitness should always be a priority in your family’s daily schedule, but sometimes it’s hard to work in. Finding fun ways to get active as a family can help change up your routine and bring everyone together.

For teachers, there is a special event coming up to help get your classroom moving! On February 10th, in celebration of 15 years of NFL PLAY 60, the NFL and the American Heart Association are hosting a 15-minute digital event ahead of Super Bowl LVI. Tune in to the NFL PLAY 60 Super Bowl LVI Brain Break to get your bodies and minds moving! Register in advance here.

The American Heart Association and the NFL recommend that children stay physically active for at least 60 minutes a day as part of the NFL PLAY 60 youth health and wellness initiative. This will help maintain a healthy lifestyle and keep hearts, brains, and bodies fit.

While an hour each day might sound like a large chunk of time, there are many ways to incorporate physical activity into your family’s routine. It all adds up.

Here are 10 ways to get active together:

• Dance it Out: Clear some space and take a dance break! Let each person take a turn as the DJ. (Listen to GoNoodle on Spotify or Apple Music for awesome, kid-friendly playlists).
• Turn TV Time into Fitness Time: Watching your family’s favorite show? During the commercial breaks add in a bit of activity with jumping jacks, burpees, or push-ups.
• Walk Break: Go for a walk around your neighborhood and play I spy as you see the sights. Don’t forget to take your pet! Pet’s promote healthy lifestyles.
• Make Chores a Challenge: Shovel snow, mop the floor, and do other cleaning projects as a family. Your home will benefit and so will your family’s health.
• Get Your Gardening On: Raking, mowing the lawn, and doing yard work are great ways to get active outdoors during warmer weather.
• Have a Ball: Adults vs. kids in your family’s favorite game; soccer, football, hoops, or whatever your family loves.
• Choose Toys Wisely: Give your kids toys that encourage physical activity, such as bikes, kites, skateboards, and jump ropes.
• Go Mobile: If you love the GoNoodle apps, check out the NFL PLAY 60 app that lets kids select their favorite teams and train alongside virtual players to get moving.
• Go on a Field Trip: Get outside and head to the park, the zoo, or a museum and get those muscles moving. Park further away from your destination so you can get in extra steps!
• Need Additional Ideas?: Check out this cheat sheet for 25 Ways to Get Moving at Home.

The Positives of Daily Movement!Kids benefit from consistent, daily movement just like adults do. The upstream benefits include healthy hearts, lungs, and a decreased chance of getting type 2 diabetes. The positives of daily movement don’t stop there! Kids that have regular physical activity in their day sleep better and are more rested. Better rest means that active kids are more likely to be at school on time, have regular attendance, and have a higher ability to focus in class. Movement, play, and activity breaks aren’t meant to be limited to the weekends or after school sports. Exercise breaks throughout the day at school help to improve brain health as well as physical fitness, including improved memory and attention span in kids. Combined with healthy food choices and hydration, exercise and movement throughout the day can help children to improve whole body health.

The Positives of Healthy Eating!Our bodies need healthy fuel to move daily, and kids need nutritious food to keep their brains and bodies functioning at top performance level. Getting your child involved in meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking is a fun way to help them learn about healthy eating habits. 

Watching kids who are their own age cook is one way to help them visualize themselves in the kitchen with you! There are lots of fun American Heart Association cooking skill videos and recipes that you can check out together! Talk to your child about their favorite foods and discuss recipes and foods that are healthy and nutritious for growing bodies.

• Fruits and veggies are full of nutrients and vitamins, so add some color to every meal!
• Lean proteins like fish, chicken, and nuts help build strong muscles.
• Watch out for hidden added sugar or salt in processed foods!
• Help your child broaden their pallet by exposing them to a variety of foods.
• Drink water every day!

Make healthy eating and movement a family affair! GoNoodle, the NFL, and the American Heart Association have lots of helpful resources to encourage your family to move 60 minutes a day and fuel your bodies with healthy, colorful, and nutritious food.