4 Hotel Room Exercises To Do With Kids

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We love this guest post by Caitlin since we have been trying so hard to lead a healthier travel life. The post is also brought to you by Sunsweet Growers, who are giving you the opportunity to win a tropical getaway at the end of this article!

Finding time to workout while traveling can be a difficult task, but add kids to the mix and it can seem almost impossible!

Going to the hotel gym can lead to the question of “who’s going to watch the kids?”, while working out in the hotel room can lead to the question of “will the kids leave me alone long enough to burn a few cals?”.

However, it’s still important to make sure to fit those workouts in while on the road!

Unfortunately, so many travelers don’t get enough exercise. Along with eating out on a regular basis, struggling to fit in healthy foods such as fruits and veggies, and periods of inactivity, we can find ourselves feeling icky in addition to unwanted weight gain.

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But what else can we do? How can we fit in exercise while making sure the kids are being attended to and having fun?

It’s simple actually! Incorporate your kids into your workout routine with a few fun moves for them, and calorie busting moves for you with a few hotel room exercises.

Exercising with Kids

Exercising with kids is a great idea for so many reasons.

  1. It ensures your kids are working towards the recommended one plus hours of exercise per day
  2. It builds healthy habits
  3. It invites your kids to learn more about exercise and ask questions
  4. It gets them away from the TV and video games
  5. It makes for quality family time

The key to a successful workout with kids is making the workout fun and age appropriate. For the younger kids, 2-4, you can have them join in by turning the workout into a game. Play red light, green light where the kids can only move when you say green light, and have to stop when you say red light.

Have the younger ones do simple movements such as jumping jacks, running in place, or dancing along with the music while you’re doing push-ups. Or simply have them practice their counting by counting reps for you.

For the older kids, 4+, have them join in on as many of the exercises as they can do. Don’t worry so much if they are doing the exact same workout as you. The point is to make sure they’re moving, having fun, and that you get your workout in.

Hotel Room Exercises to do with Kids

Below we have four hotel room exercises you can do with your kids. There’s no equipment required, and each exercise will provide quite the calorie burn. If it’s a nice day out, try doing these exercises outside!

But first a few tips:

  • There’s no need to workout for hours on end - set your timer for 10-30 minutes and workout until the alarm goes off
  • Perform 10 reps of each exercise, when you’ve finished each exercise go back to the beginning and start over until time runs out
  • Push hard while taking rests as needed

Inchworm

Main muscles worked: triceps, deltoids, abdominals, obliques

How to:

  • Start standing with feet shoulder width distance apart and hands hanging to your side
  • Slightly bend your knees
  • Hinge at the hips until you are in an inverted V position and your hands are touching the ground
  • Walk your hands out into a push-up position - make sure to keep your core engaged
  • Walk your hands back in towards your toes
  • Repeat
  • You can remain stationary or continue to move forward if there is enough room
  • Pro tip: do a pushup before moving your hands back towards your toes

Why kids love it: This is a fun move! They get to be silly and pretend that they’re worms crawling on the ground. 

Mountain Climbers

Main muscles worked: abdominals, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings

How to:

  • Start in a push-up position
  • Keep your shoulders over your wrists and core engaged
  • Bring your right knee in towards your chest and then back to the starting position, and then the left knee (this counts as one rep)
  • Repeat
  • Pro tip: pick up the pace for more intensity, or try touching your knee to the opposite elbow

Why kids love it: This move is fast paced and full of energy! 

Push-Ups

Main muscles worked: pectorals, triceps, deltoids, abdominals

How to:

  • Start in a plank position with feet close together or start from your knees
  • Keep your shoulders over your wrists, core tight, and back flat
  • Fingers are pointed forwards and elbows are at a 70 degree angle from your torso
  • Slowly lower while keeping your back flat, abs engaged, and neck in line with your spine
  • Once your nose is close to touching the ground push yourself back to the starting position.
  • Repeat
  • Pro tip: Fill a backpack with objects from around the room and wear while doing push-ups

Why kids love it: This move makes them strong like Batman!

Jump Squats

Main muscles worked: abdominals, lower back, glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings

How to:

  • Stand with feet shoulder width distance apart
  • Do a squat as you normally would:

                  - Start with feet shoulder width distance apart

                  - Keep your chest up and out

                  - Hold your hands out in front of you at shoulder height

                  - Sit back and down like you’re about to sit in a chair, you will naturally bend forward                                                slightly avoid rounding your back

                  - As you are coming down your knees should remain slightly behind your toes, and butt                                            behind your hips

                  - Your hamstrings will come close to your calves at the bottom of the motion - keep your                                         weight out of your toes and into your heels, to test raise your toes off the                                                 ground

                  - Push through your heels to return to the starting position

  • Engage your core and jump up with power
  • Land as softly as possible back into a squat position
  • Repeat
  • Pro tip: try jumping on one leg
  • Precaution: depending on your child’s age and ability to follow directions, have your child jump as high as they can without the squat

Why kids love it: Who doesn’t love jumping around? 

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Happy travels!

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Caitlin is an avid traveler and fitness lover. After experiencing trouble with maintaining fitness while traveling, Caitlin’s mission became helping others stay fit and healthy on the road. She uses her experience as a group fitness instructor, travel knowledge, and resourcefulness to help travelers around the world look great, feel great, and enjoy their travel adventures. www.fitgevitysolutions.com

Reader Comments...

"I respond to every comment by direct private email. I look forward to your feedback" -

Hmm, I guess the Caribbean since I have lived in Hawaii a long time now and I have no love for Florida at all!! Great exercise tips btw, all those exercises can be done in a small space and they all work great!

Mary Apr 24th, 2016

Very good workouts. I also do HIIT 4 times a week and I have detox inteligente diet

Milla Jun 27th, 2017

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