Can I have a yogurt?
I need to go to the bathroom.
He’s pulling my hair!
Anyone else have to deal with similar issues when all you want to do is get a little workout in?
I totally understand! Getting in a workout is sometimes a challenge when you have little rugrats at home underfoot.
While taking the kids to a gym and working out there may be an option, sometimes exercising at home is just a more logical solution.
From the cost of gym memberships to the struggle just to get the kids out the door, even with its challenges, working out at home is still a better option for many. (Plus, I love that the “commute” is only 30 seconds and I don’t have to spend any time getting ready and “making myself public-presentable.”)
But what do you do when getting 30 minutes to yourself is a challenge?
The obvious answer is to do get up earlier than your kids and workout before they’re even up. Now, I know many of you will say that you’re simply not a morning person.
So another option would be to workout after they go to bed – but I will tell you this: You’ll find a million excuses to just not do it by the end of the evening. Plus, working out at night means you will likely not be able to go to bed at a decent hour (and you know my thoughts on getting a good night’s sleep!)
Even though I do consider myself a morning person, please know that doesn’t mean I wake up motivated to workout. Most days I roll out of bed, and try to get started before my mind even has time to realize what’s happening. But then, once I’m in, I know exercising is a good decision. Plus, the added energy from the endorphins is a great start to the day!
Early morning rising must be genetic though, because even though I’m up around 5 AM, I almost always have 1 if not 2 little guys with me by the end. And, I know it’s just a “season….” Someday they’ll be teenage boys wanting to sleep until noon.
7 Tips to Working Out with Kids
Now, not that I have it all figured out of course, but here are some tips that I use to help make sure I get a good workout in most days of the week – even with a couple extra little guys up and at ’em too.
1. Get them in on the exercising too! We have little one pound weights from adjustable ankle weights the boys love to use. While there were some concerns in the past about strength training being “dangerous” for small children who are still growing, that in fact has been shown to be acceptable and safe.
2. Feed them. We have “Breakfast in the Basement” often.
The boys love loading up the special tray with their cereal bowls or waffles, and they’re usually pretty happy to eat at the table in our workout room (or on the couch, if they’re lucky!)
3. Give them some “work” to do. We are homeschooling, so Hayden has a handwriting and math book that he can work on fairly independently. Josiah always asks for his “handwriting book” too, so I just give him a blank notebook, and he’ll happily write away. (And the funny thing is, the two year old has smaller penmanship than the five year old’s giant scrawl!)
4. Have them work on some fine motor activities. One of Josiah’s current favorites is buttoning/unbuttoning small squares of felt from a ribbon string. It’s one of the very few Pinterest projects I actually completed! Other options we use include pipe cleaners and beads, color sorting pom-poms, and threading pool noodle slices on rope.
5. Let them be creative. Coloring books, markers, crayons… you know the age-old stand-bys seem to work well, at least for a little bit. I especially love the “Water Wow” books from Melissa and Doug – cleaning up a little bit of water is way better than washing markers off of skin. (Thankfully we’ve never had coloring on the walls – – – knock on wood!)
6. Give them musical instruments. I know, this one’s a little borderline probably, but we have a keyboard in the basement and that is by far, my biggest entertainer. Hayden played with it for my entire 30 minute workout last week. Sure, I had to listen to “Oh When the Saints Go Marching In” at ever speed imaginable with every drum kit option available, but it was worth it!
7. And of course, I’m sure screen time could be an option as well. We try limit our screen time (and rarely have screen in the morning), but the boys of course love their Leap Pad and a bowling game on my phone.
In the end, I think the more kids are accustomed to mommy working out, the better they become about the expectations. I really only have two rules:
- No balls rolling on the floor. I’ve twisted my ankle one too many times and know the dangers.
- No climbing on mommy. When I’m done, I give them the ok, and we climb and wrestle a bit, but they know while I’m working out, it should be a pretty hands-off time.
As I’ve written about before, we, as moms, should not feel guilty about getting in a workout. We are definitely in a better place both physically and mentally to take care of our crew when we’ve had the chance to exercise each day.
Hopefully something here will help you find a way to get your workout in even with little kids at home! If you still need help coming up with a solution that would work for you, let’s chat. Sometimes just talking things out with someone else helps the problem-solving process!
And, if you have other ideas that have worked well for you, feel free to share below!
Everyday Faith + Fitness 
