There’s no reason that spending time together as a family has to be expensive. Family wellness is something that comes at no price at all - and it can actually improve your overall health in a big way! It all depends on what you do, and getting out there and doing it (1). 

We put together this group of wellness activities for families that will bring you and your loved ones closer all the while improving your health in all sorts of important ways. 

Heading to the playground is definitely one of our favorite family wellness tips. If you have kids, this is a great way to stay active with them and have fun while doing it! Playgrounds provide a natural obstacle course, and you can get a quick workout in by pushing your kids on the swings or climbing around on the jungle gym with them. 

For some people, the best family wellness training takes place outside. That’s why we’re such big proponents of nature walking. Nature walks are a great way to spend time together as a family while getting the fresh air that everyone needs for stable mental and physical health. You can also complete this activity anywhere - from somewhere close, like your sidewalk, or on a nature trail in your town. Doing this will also foster a love of being outside in your children, which is very important for development. 

Most everybody loves the water, and the pool or lake are great places to have fun - but also to learn about swimming safety. Swimming is an important survival skill for children and adults alike to have. You can sign your children up for swimming lessons and take a dip in the pool at the same time, allowing you to spend time together while learning something new and staying active. 

Health and Wellness Activities For Families

The list of health and wellness activities for families is far from short. And it’s understandable that, after a long work week, planning ahead for physical and mental wellbeing activities alike can sound like a chore - but with just a little bit of extra thought, you can choose weekend activities that actually add to your energy levels instead of ones that sap them (2). 

To avoid time-wasting on the weekend, all you have to do is devote a little time to choosing an activity for the whole family so everyone can feel rejuvenated come Monday, and so you all can share a bonding experience. Health and wellness for kids is more important than ever, especially with so much of their lives spent online, so these wellness activities for kids should not be overlooked!

We bet you’ve never considered this one - but getting good sleep does qualify as a wellness activity. It’s actually one of the best wellness activities for college students that you can find, and it’s also one of the best wellness activities for elementary students as well. Everyone of every age could always stand to get more sleep. 

Meditation is also another one of the best health and wellness activities for kids - and the whole family. Mindfulness comes with plenty of benefits for children and teenagers; it can alter the structure and function of the brain to improve the quality of thought and feeling. It can also boost self-esteem, the feeling of calmness, emotional intelligence, and sleep quality, along with reducing worries and anxiety. Many schools have jumped on board, as they see this as one of the greatest health and wellness activities for students. 

Art therapy is one of the most useful health and wellness activities for elementary students. Instead of encouraging your child to unwind in front of a screen (which has been one of the most tempting wellness activities for students during COVID), encourage them to unwind through a creative experience. Art therapy has been used for decades to help people with conditions from stress to cancer. 

Family Wellness Products

Family wellness is about more than the activities that you do - it’s also about what you have in the house. The family wellness products included in this section have to do with everything from ice packs to vitamins (3). Speaking of vitamins, it’s never a bad idea to check out our family wellness membership! We keep the family wellness membership cost reasonable, and the family wellness program is definitely something to write home about. 

Apart from vitamins, here are some other family wellness products that we recommend that you have at home:

Nasal mist is never a bad idea. It helps to clear stuffy noses and relieve allergy symptoms for both children and adults! It’s a cure-all for stuffy noses and you won’t believe how fast it works. 

Ear thermometers are also super helpful in a pinch. You might feel like you don’t need a thermometer at home, but you’ll find yourself regretting that decision when you need one the most and there’s not anything to be found in your cabinets. 

All-natural healing balm like All Good Goop works wonders for almost anything - if someone in your family experiences a minor scrape, burn, or bump, then this is the stuff that can fix it right up. It even works on diaper rash and chapped lips! This comes in handy in a pinch, because no one wants to experience the discomfort that comes along with the maladies that this Goop can fix. 

Wellness Activities At Home 

Wellness doesn’t have to take place during vacations or at the spa - there are plenty of ways to make it happen with wellness activities at home. You can focus on your physical and mental wellbeing with these health activities at home without ever having to leave your comfort domain (4). 

Yoga is something that many people underestimate. If you want to sharpen your concentration and your focus, increase your bodily awareness, and relieve stress, yoga is perfect for you. It’s also a great physical activity at home for students - you don’t even need any special equipment! Yoga has been shown to increase levels of GABA in the brain (a chemical that helps to regulate nerve activity), and reduce symptoms of anxiety. 

Hiking is a fan favorite out of the many wellbeing activities for adults at home. Getting outside for a short (or long) hike can reduce stress, anxiety, blood pressure, and cortisol levels - and all of these things put together have the potential to have a calming effect on you that only nature can provide. 

Bike riding is also another great option for wellness! It can also curb anxiety and stress that come from everyday life, and it has the potential to improve memory, stimulate creative thinking, help you sleep better, and reduce the risk of depression. Breathing that fresh air and getting your legs pumping has the power to help not only your physical wellness, but your mental wellness too! 

Wellness Games and Activities 

Staying active is a great way to prevent chronic illnesses like diabetes and hypertension, but wellness games and activities are also a great way to have fun (5)! These fun family activities are especially great if you find yourself bored by run-of-the-mill workouts. 

Playing basketball is a great way to get your heart pumping and to boost camaraderie with whomever you’re playing with. You can do this activity in the backyard or in the gym - and if you don’t have a hoop at your disposal, you could even get creative and use a bucket. 

Soccer is another wellness game that you probably know from being one of the most fun health class activities. You can set up this game almost anywhere that there’s enough space, and it’s great for the whole family to join in on. And the best part - while you’re working to play at the top of your game, you’re also getting a full body workout! 

Hula hooping is another good option, and it’s a lot harder than it seems. It doesn’t require much equipment - just a simple hula hoop. Beyond that, you just need enough space to get moving. From spinning the hula hoop, you may see benefits like burning calories, burning fat, improving cardiovascular health, and improving your overall balance. 

Healthy Physical Activity Examples

Physical activity is a big part of staying well, and there are plenty of health benefits of physical activity. and you might be surprised at just how many types of physical activity that you can do at home (6). In order to get your recommended 150 minutes of exercise a week, you don’t even have to leave the house! 

One of the first daily physical activity examples is very simple - just stretching! Stretching just involves using your own body weight as a source of resistance, and it can improve circulation and reduce the pain and inflammation that is associated with arthritis. Stretching is one of the best physical activities examples for seniors because of this. 

One of the most fun healthy physical activity examples is one that we’ve been doing since childhood - jumping rope! You can do this inside or outside, anytime that you want. All you need is a jump rope. A few minutes of jumping rope can improve your heart and lung fitness, strengthen your bones, and improve your balance and flexibility. 

If you’re looking for physical activities at home examples that you might not expect, here’s one: Gardening. If you’ve got a green thumb and you like spending time in the garden, you’re doing something right for your health. When you dig, mow the lawn, and weed, you’re putting your body through a range of movement and stretches that involve all kinds of muscles. Plus, you’re spending valuable time outside in the fresh air, which can boost your mental health in a major way. 

Resources

1. McDonald, Trevor. "8 AFFORDABLE WELLNESS ACTIVITIES TO DO AS A FAMILY." PiperWai, 28 Mar. 2019, www.piperwai.com/blogs/posts/8-affordable-wellness-activities-to-do-as-a-family.
2. "Weekend wellness: Six evidence-based wellness activities for families." Circle In, circlein.com/weekend-wellness-six-evidence-based-wellness-activities-for-families/.
3. "Our Favorite Wellness Products for the Family." UpParent, www.upparent.com/lists/wellness-products.
4. "10 Wellness Activities to Practice at Home." GoMacro, www.gomacro.com/wellness-activities/.
5. "Best 12 Wellness Games and Activities To Play Offline." GameTablesGuide, gametablesguide.com/wellness-games-and-activities/.
6. "8 WAYS TO EXERCISE AT HOME." Caba, www.caba.org.uk/help-and-guides/information/8-ways-exercise-home.