Indoor Play With Your Children: Simple Acts of Play Can Create Memories & Burn Calories

At the end of a long day at work, homework with the kids, cooking dinner, and preparing the family for the next day, the last thing on your mind is burning calories. Tired sets in, but if you set aside 10 to 15 minutes of active play with your children inside your house, you can actually kill two birds with one stone. You get to burn off dinner and you create the most memorable interactions with your kiddos.

The Pre-Historic Roots of Monster Hide With My Family

“It was a good way to get me ready for bed, y’all ready for bed, and end the night in a good way.”

~Wesley Gooden, aka Dad

Turn the clock back to the mid-80s when I was a child – that’s the pre-historic part!

My dad would come home from work tired. He worked all day. I can still see him covered in dirt, concrete dust, and sweat standing on our back porch. Come to think of it, he kind of looked like a monster.

Some nights, before bedtime, my dad would start chasing my younger brother, Thomas, and me around the house. Dad would grumble, growl, and hide behind furniture and in pantries. He would spring out and capture us.

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Both of us were trapped in his strong arms, Thomas under his right, and me under his left. He would haul us to my parent’s bed, drop us, and tickle us. Laughter would commence and go on until we couldn’t breathe.

I asked my brother to reminisce with me about why we loved this game so much. Thomas said:

“it was the bond and knowing that Dad could still play, joke, and have fun like a kid, not just be a disciplinarian. The best part is that it carried over to the way I am with my boys and nephews. I love knowing that all of us can joke around together.”

Every now and then we’d hunt our mom down, and we’d all conspire to dog pile her. Memories!

How Being Chased Became “Monster Hide”

Though horseplay may seem like a “dad job,” it really isn’t. My husband isn’t the only human jungle gym in our home. Mommy is pretty tough too.

READ Activities for Kids that do not Include Computers, Computer Games, or TV

Now that I have children, I get on the floor and roughhouse with our boys just like my dad did with us. My brother does the same in his household. It’s become a tradition. However, my children call somehow started calling the game Monster Hide!

Through a Mother’s Day interview called “All About My Mom” that my kids participated in at school, as my gift, I found out how much Monster Hide really matters to my children.

Question #6: What does your mom do best?

Answer from both children: Plays Monster Hide

Keep in mind that my children go to different schools and have different teachers. The answer wasn’t, “She’s a good teacher” or “She works out.” It was, “She plays Monster Hide.” It was eye-opening for me.

How To Start A Game Of Monster Hide

If I remotely move like I might chase my boys, they are ready to play Monster Hide! “Grrrrr…Raaar” is a sign too. I get them to run away from me long enough to sprint to the other side of the house and hide somewhere.

They come looking for me.

I jump out growling like a monster, chase them around the corner, and sprint to a new hiding spot. They turn around to find me instantaneously. There isn’t much of a breathing break.

We play often and it wears me out- physically! I am literally trying to breathe silently so they kids can’t find me. I started to wonder how many calories I was burning and how many steps I was taking. I wanted exercise data.

Indoor Play Gets The Ole Heart Rate Up

You are getting exercise without realizing It because it’s fun!

When it comes to aerobic activity, adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity according to the Mayo Clinic (2016).

Show Me Indoor Exercise Data For Monster Hide

I started wondering how much additional exercise I was getting by chasing the kids around. I know my heart rate is up because I’m breathing hard when I’m playing. Have you ever tried to talk while you are running? Try growling and running….same thing!

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I conducted a little of my own research on Monster Hide; this is what I found:

Amount of Time We Played: 10 minutes

Steps taken: 500 (approximately ¼ mile)

Calories Burned: Not sure, but I pulled something in my knee!

Max heart rate: 162 BPM

Average Heart Rate: 125 BPM

Other Ways I Use My Children For Exercise

In addition to aerobic training, adults should also be partaking in strength training every week.

According to the Mayo Clinic (2016), adults should partake in strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week. They suggest aiming to do a single set of each exercise, using a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions.

If I even think of sitting on the floor, I’m getting attacked. I have found additional ways of using my kids for exercise when they jump on me.

• They climb on my back when I do planks. Weighted planks are pro level, right?
• I can use them as a bar to bench press as I’m lying on the floor.
• If I lie on my back, knees together in the air, and fold my lower legs at a 90 degree angle my children can sit near my feet facing me. I can bounce them with my legs while holding on to their arms.

READ Working Out After Pushing Out A Baby: Mommy Returns

Don’t Drop Your Gym Time For Play Time

Don’t drop your gym time and only work out 10-15 minutes per day in your house. Look at this quality play time with your children as a little bit extra that you can do in the realm of exercise. Burn a few more calories, track a few more steps. It won’t even feel like exercise because it’s so much fun. Who doesn’t love delighting their children and getting their heart rate up?

Conclusion

My children don’t care that Mommy is a bodybuilder, a teacher, a freelance writer. They aren’t old enough to see my hustle. The successes that make me proud of myself don’t mean a thing to my 4 and 6-year-old boys at this time in their little lives. What they care about is that they get adequate attention from me.

I care about making the most of my time and devoting plenty of that time to my children. Any time I can combine two things that I see value in, it’s an investment worth making. Playing with my kids plus exercise, life doesn’t get better than that!

How much do you want to bet that both my brother’s children and my children both carry on this tradition in their households one day!

Love your family! Make memories; play and exercise with your kids!