Spring is here, and with it comes the chance to stop this yearly hibernation and actually get some exercise and some vitamin D!

But there's a problem. How do you get exercise with toddlers in tow? I mean, they have really short legs. Really short. So jogging doesn't work. Even walking is difficult, because you walk so slowly for them to catch up. Biking may work, but they're so slow on their tricycles or with training wheels that it's not much fun for you. So what do you do?

When kids are little is a bit of a struggle. But with some creativity, you can find ways to get outside and be active!

Let's take the biking thing. I think biking is one of the best forms of exercise you can get, and you can bring kids along! When our children were young, we used a bicycle trailer that looked like this:

Now, that can get a little pricey. But you can often find them second hand. We still have ours today. I just use it for groceries in the spring! The girls and I bike to the store and we carry the groceries home in that. Now that's exercise!

But when the girls were little, I would load them both up in the bike trailer and we would go places. I was in the best shape of my life in those days. Often I would bike to a park where they could then get out and play and I could rest before having to take them home again!

When they get to be about five, you can add the wheel extension onto your bike, so that they bike on your bike, but on a different wheel. They have their own handlebars and pedals, but it's a lot easier on you. It takes a while to get the balance, but it works!

And of course, there's the baby accessory that you can add. We never did this one; I was always afraid of what would happen to the baby if I fell over. But it works well for many!

You can often get really good deals on any of these accessories second hand, too!

When children are still in the 3-5 range, another idea is to let them bike while you walk. To bike at the same time as them is often frustrating because you're going so slowly. But they can bike to a park, and you get some exercise walking with them!

We've always been the type that takes walks as a family, so that's been our exercise. And we've done big hikes since the time the kids were little. If you stop frequently and have snacks, they tend to go right along without getting too tired. Kids really do have abundant energy.

Soccer is another great way to start some exercise. It gets all of you running, and it's fun. To make it more interesting for the adults, try it with two balls. Kids have a harder time getting to the ball and kicking it, so you and your husband can keep one ball going between the two of you while you also try to get the ball going with the kids. That makes it more of a workout for you, while the kids still have fun!

What about you? What do you do to get exercise when you have little kids? I'd love to hear it!

Thanks for stopping by! Why not stay and look around a while? I've got great posts on marriage and parenting and fun!

Labels: exercise, Works for Me Wednesdays