Fun Workout for Kids at Home: Top Ideas for Resident Families

A fun workout for kids at home can help them stay busy and burn off all that extra energy. But it’s not always easy for busy parents to make up activities on the fly. As a property manager, you can save the day with family-friendly wellness amenities. These accessible offerings can improve satisfaction for all your residents, from toddlers to retirees.

Why Fitness for Kids at Home Matters in Multifamily Living

Working out might seem like a very adult hobby, but fitness matters at all ages. And many parents are eager to make it a bigger part of their children’s lives. In a OnePoll survey of 2,000 parents, 80% said they want to motivate their kids to participate in more physical activities.

This trend is just one of many factors fueling the rising demand for wellness amenities. For instance, 76% of multifamily housing residents want a pool, and 34% say fitness classes are important or very important.

Offering child-focused fitness amenities can help you satisfy these expectations and engage the whole family. Parents are also more likely to stick around when you create a family-first community where their kids are truly welcomed, not just tolerated.

Benefits for Property Managers and Families

Offering kid-friendly amenities for multifamily housing isn’t just an advertising gimmick. Here are three reasons why property managers should invest in this area:

• Your community can become more appealing to people with children, who make up 18.5% of multifamily renters.
• You’ll strengthen your community image.
• It will help you stand out from local competitors who don’t cater to families.

Providing youth fitness opportunities has many benefits for residents, too. Physical activity helps kids:

• Build muscle
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Pay attention
• Remember information more easily

Plus, parents who create a family exercise game plan can spend more quality time with their kids.

Engaging and Safe Indoor Workouts for Children

Indoors might not seem like the ideal place to exercise, especially for rowdier kids. But there are plenty of fun activities that can get them moving inside safely.

Consider transforming your flex space into an indoor obstacle course on rainy days. You could use foam climbing blocks to build tunnels and ramps. Or use painter’s tape to create hopscotch squares on the floor. These indoor activities help younger kids strengthen their motor skills.

Older kids might enjoy dance and yoga classes. You could offer in-person sessions on weekend mornings with local instructors who specialize in youth fitness. Or you could provide access to a library of on-demand classes. That way, children can exercise whenever they need a break from their homework.

Age-Appropriate Activities to Keep Kids Moving

An eight-year-old might love hula-hooping or learning basic yoga moves. But a toddler will probably have more fun exploring an obstacle course. Keep the whole family engaged by offering physical activities for kids of all ages.

Toddlers (two to four years) need activities that combine movement and play, such as:

• Beanbag toss
• Dance parties
• Hide and seek
• Hopscotch
• Simple yoga exercises

For young kids (five to eight years), it’s all about fine-tuning motor skills like jumping and kicking. Here are a few ways to offer stimulating activities for this group:

• Organize a friendly jump rope competition
• Build a hula-hoop “obstacle course” to encourage kids to jump from one hoop to another
• Create a meditation studio
• Put soccer goals in community green spaces

Older kids may prefer more structured children's workout videos.​ For example, Fitness On Demand has collaborated with Adventure to Fitness to offer 30-minute sessions with cardio, strengthening, and yoga exercises. These videos also include educational content to make fitness fun for kids.

Don’t forget about the importance of outdoor activity. A community walking club or geocaching game can help the entire family enjoy more fresh air.

Creative Fitness Games That Feel Like Play

Children’s workout routines should be exciting and playful. After all, no six-year-old wants to count reps or spend an hour trudging along on the treadmill. That’s just boring.

Create plenty of opportunities for residents to exercise their imaginations and their bodies at the same time. For example, you could map out a parkour course using community benches and playground equipment.

Scavenger hunts help children get more steps in, too. Hide clues around your community, like in the laundry room and clubhouse. Who knows? Families might discover new amenities while they explore, so they can enjoy even more of your offerings.

Fitness bingo is another great method for engaging residents with fitness. You could have one square for attending a virtual “Mommy and Me” yoga class, another for swimming in the community pool, and so on. This game lets children pick the activities that they love. You could even offer a small prize for every completed bingo card.

Bringing Virtual Fitness to Resident Families

Sometimes, parents just need a quick workout routine for kids at home — something that doesn’t need any special equipment. By offering digital content, you can give families the flexibility to exercise on their terms.

Some multifamily communities have convenient streaming options. No, you don’t need to go record yourself leading Tai Chi sessions. Just partner with a fitness service that’s already put in all the legwork to create high-quality content. For example, Fitness On Demand has individual and group workout options for families.

Your community could also host interactive live events or competitions. These could involve anything from live-streamed dance marathons to weekly step contests. These flexible activities help children improve their physical health, even when the weather is bad or they’re on vacation.

Fitness On Demand Solutions That Support Family Wellness

You don’t need to hire a child specialist to create family amenities from scratch. Fitness On Demand offers plenty of solutions to help you cater to your community’s youngest fitness lovers.

Flex App

Give your residents more workout options with the convenient Flex App. With over 1,200 on-demand classes and videos, it truly has something for everyone. Users can choose from a huge variety of residential fitness programs, from cardio to stretching. And, of course, there are plenty of age-appropriate options for families and kids.

This on-demand content is an excellent way to extend your amenity offerings. For example, you might organize Saturday morning swim classes at the community pool, then encourage families to participate in virtual classes during the week. That way, you can keep residents engaged without hiring a full-time fitness instructor.

Plus, the Flex App makes it easy to organize community challenges. You can use push notifications to invite residents to participate: “Hey kids! Race to 50,000 steps this week to win a fun toy!” You can also send reminders — “Have you started our Halloween scavenger hunt yet?” — and even create leaderboards. With regular competitions, you can foster a more welcoming atmosphere for residents.

Group Studio

Some children's workout routines need workout equipment like lightweight kettlebells or jump ropes. Or certain fitness activities might not be appropriate for their living space. A kid who does jumping jacks and tumbles in a second-floor apartment, for instance, will almost certainly annoy their downstairs neighbor.

With Group Studio, you can offer on-demand workouts in common areas like your gym or meditation room. All you need is a TV screen so residents can access the classes whenever they want and even allows you to stream family fitness classes on a pre-set mass schedule. It’s perfect for kids who might not have their own devices yet. This product makes it easy to host family-focused sessions — such as Sunday morning “story aerobics” — in your community spaces.

Digital Signage and Broadcast TV

Keep everyone in the loop with digital signage. These displays let you promote upcoming wellness events and fitness classes. You could even spotlight local activities hosted by nearby community organizations. Updating a digital sign is much easier and more eco-friendly than printing flyers for every activity.

How to Implement Kid-Friendly Fitness Programs in Residential Communities

Creating more fitness opportunities for your youngest community members doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. Follow these tips to get started:

• Add in-person or virtual workout sessions for kids to your fitness schedule. These activities give children valuable opportunities to socialize while improving their physical health.
• Use Group Studio to create a family wellness corner in your gym or pool area. Colorful foam blocks and kid-friendly workout accessories will make the space even more appealing.
• Advertise children’s workout routines and classes on digital signage around your community.
• Send push notifications to families to remind them about upcoming fitness opportunities.
• Survey your residents to get their input about your offerings. And be sure to ask the children themselves, too. They might ask for more dance classes or tell you about a trendy new outdoor activity that’s not even on your radar.

Investing in the right technology is also key. With Fitness On Demand, you can offer an exciting workout for kids at home, community challenges, and more. Ready to get your littlest residents in on the action? Contact us to learn more about how you can promote wellness for everyone with our family-friendly fitness offerings.