I don’t have time to exercise.  I’m too busy.  Gyms intimidate me.  Said any of these before?  Then this is for you.  It is time for you to think about exercise differently than you have before.  Instead of setting time aside just for exercise, think about ways to incorporate exercise into things you are already doing.  Remember that the key to making exercise count is to get your heart pumping.  The easiest way for busy moms to do this, play with your kids.

Jam Session.  Turn up the music and dance your heart out.  Teach your kids some cool moves, and I’m sure they will show you some of their own moves!  This one is guaranteed to get your heart pumping, and your abs a workout from giggling.

Tag Your It.  When I play chase with my toddler, I always tickle him when I “catch” him.  It makes the game so much more fun when I hear his laugh.  When he is not in the mood to run, I carry him and I run.  This always makes him laugh.  Maybe I run funny?  It definitely gives me a great workout though!

Jump, Jump.  Don’t have a trampoline?  Play leap-frog, hop scotch, or jump rope.  My little one is still learning how to jump, so I simply jump up and down to try to help him learn.  Watching toddlers try to jump is hilarious so it keeps it entertaining.

Play Ball, while you are doing sit ups.  When you sit up, throw the ball to your kid.  Go down, and catch the ball when you come back up.  This one is to advance for my toddler (he can’t play catch yet), but he is entertained when I throw the ball in the air when I lay down between sit ups.

Pony Ride. Yep, you guessed it.  You’re the pony.  But a stationary one.  Let your kid sit on your back while you do push-ups.  It definitely makes it more challenging, but your kid will enjoy it.  Plus your arms will get more of a workout!

Try to get your heart rate up at least 30 minutes three times/ week.  If you can’t find 30 minutes at one time, break it up into three 10 minute sessions. Even if you are not trying to lose weight, exercise is really important to keep your heart healthy. So throw out all those excuses and start playing with your kids!

What about you?  Do you have any fun activities that count as exercise that you do with your kids?