As a CrossFit Kids coach, keeping kids active isn’t just something I do at the gym—it naturally spills into everyday life at home. With childhood obesity reaching record highs in 2025, screen dependence increasing, and kids spending more time indoors than ever, helping them stay active has never been more important.
But here’s the good news: getting kids moving doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t require a home gym, special equipment, or a structured training plan. What works best is consistency, creativity, and making movement feel like a game—not a chore.
3-Minute Movement Bursts
Kids’ attention spans are short… so workouts at home should be too. Whenever we’re halfway through a movie or someone’s deep into a video game, we’ll hit pause and run a fun 3-minute challenge.
Examples:
Max burpees
Plank hold competition
Couch-to-kitchen shuttle run
Wall sit challenge
Kids love seeing themselves improve. Beating yesterday’s score becomes a tiny win that builds confidence and momentum.
Movement for Screen Time
One of the simplest systems—and shockingly effective:
For every 20 minutes of screen time → 2 minutes of movement.
Nothing intense. Just:
Squats
Jumping jacks
Stretch break
Bear crawl down the hallway
This resets their brain, gets blood flowing, and keeps screens from turning kids into statues. Movement becomes part of the routine instead of a disruption.
Adventure Walks
Sometimes the best exercise happens when kids don’t realize they’re exercising.
Turn walks or jogs into “mini adventures”:
Walk to the park
Jog to the corner store
Run a lap around the neighborhood
Bike to explore a new path
Kids crave novelty. Give them a destination or purpose and their willingness skyrockets. Plus, it becomes built-in family time—no phones, no distractions.
The “Make-the-Move” Game
If you want kids excited to move, let them choose the movement.
They pick the exercise—squats, handstands, bear crawls, wall walks, or whatever creative idea they come up with.
When kids feel ownership:
Enthusiasm rises
Confidence grows
Participation becomes effortless
Some of the movements they invent are shockingly fun… and sometimes surprisingly hard.
Let Them Coach
This might be the best trick of all.
Kids love stepping into a leadership role, so let them run a mini workout for the parents. They demonstrate movements, set reps, explain rules—everything.
It teaches:
Leadership
Communication
Body awareness
Confidence
And yes… patience (for everyone 😄)
And honestly? Their workouts can be tough. Kids don’t hold back.
Final Thoughts
Keeping kids active doesn’t require hours of programming or perfect structure. In fact, the most effective strategies are the simple ones—the ones that fit naturally into daily life.
Movement should feel:
Fun
Short
Consistent
Empowering
As a CrossFit Kids coach, my mission is to build a lifelong love of movement. At home, that continues through play, creativity, family time, and tiny bursts of activity that add up over time.
If you’re looking for ways to keep your kids active during the holidays, try a few of the strategies above. They’ll surprise you—and you might even find yourself having fun, too.
