Keeping your kids active during the summer doesn’t have to be a challenge. With a little creativity and some basic equipment, you can bring the CrossFit experience right to your home. CrossFit workouts are not only effective for adults but can also be adapted to suit the needs and abilities of kids. In this blog, we’ll share five fun and engaging home CrossFit workouts that will keep your kids active and promote their overall fitness this summer.
I. AMRAP Animal Safari
Equipment needed: Open space, cones/markers
Instructions: Set up cones or markers around your backyard, designating each one as a different animal station (e.g., bear crawl, frog jumps, crab walk). Set a timer for 10-15 minutes and challenge your kids to complete as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) of the animal stations. They can move from one station to the next, mimicking the movement patterns and characteristics of each animal. Encourage them to challenge themselves while having fun exploring the animal kingdom.
II. Cardio Blast
Equipment needed: Jump rope, stopwatch/timer
Instructions: Set a timer for 5-10 minutes. Have your kids start by jumping rope for 1 minute, then switch to a bodyweight exercise like jumping jacks, high knees, or burpees for 30 seconds. Repeat this cycle, alternating between jump rope and bodyweight exercises, until the timer runs out. This workout provides a cardio challenge while improving coordination and endurance.
III. Obstacle Course Challenge
Equipment needed: Various objects for obstacles (cones, hula hoops, pillows, etc.)
Instructions: Create an obstacle course in your backyard using different objects as obstacles. For example, set up cones to weave through, hula hoops to jump in and out of, and pillows to crawl under. Challenge your kids to complete the obstacle course as fast as they can. Time them and encourage friendly competition to beat their personal best or challenge other family members.
IV. Super Strength
Equipment needed: Light dumbbells or household items for weight
Instructions: Set a timer for 10-15 minutes. Have your kids perform a series of bodyweight exercises such as squats, push-ups, lunges, and planks. Introduce light dumbbells or household items for added resistance during exercises like bicep curls or shoulder presses. Encourage proper form and emphasize quality over quantity. The goal is to build strength and endurance while focusing on safe and controlled movements.
V. Fitness Relay
Equipment needed: Stopwatch/timer, cones/markers
Instructions: Set up a relay race in your backyard using cones or markers to mark the start and finish lines. Divide the kids into teams and assign each team member a specific exercise, such as jumping jacks, mountain climbers, or burpees. Start the stopwatch and have the first team member perform their exercise while the others cheer them on. Once completed, they tag the next teammate to continue the relay. The goal is to complete a certain number of laps or finish in the fastest time.
VI. Don’t Drop the Drink!
Equipment: 1 (closed) container of liquid
8 Minutes, Every minute on the minute (EMOM)
2 squats
4 halos (sit in a squat and circle your head with the drink)
6 thrusters
Rest 1 min.
8 minute EMOM
2 burpees over the drink
4 sit ups holding the drink straight up in the air
6 thrusters
VI. Joker’s Wild
Equipment: deck of cards
Assign one movement to each suit
(jumping jacks, squats, sit ups, lunges, etc.)
Assign a timed move for the Jokers
(:30 sec wall sit, high plank, hollow rock hold, etc.)
Shuffle the deck, flip over a card, and perform the number of movements on that card.
Face cards = 10, Ace = 11
Depending on the age of the class, reduce the cards in the deck, or split the class into two teams and alternate turns. The opposing team chooses the Joker movement for the other team.
(This game also works well with UNO cards, substituting suits for the 4 colours and action cards.)
VIII. Chair Workout
Equipment: 1 sturdy(!) chair
5 Rounds
5 Step Downs, each leg: Put one foot on the chair and count down from 3 until your other foot taps the floor and then push back up fast.
4 Step Overs, each leg: Without touching the chair, take a big step over the seat to the other side.
3 Deck Squats aka ‘You’re the Chair’: Slowly lower into a squat until sitting on the floor, roll backwards, and then return to a squat and stand up.
2 Chair Pushes, each direction: Place a towel under the chair and a light weight on the seat (books, milk jug, etc.) Push the chair across the length of the floor.
2 Chair Burpees: Perform a burpee, step up onto and then over the chair, and complete a burpee on the other side.
Make Sure It Is Fun
By incorporating these five home CrossFit workouts into your summer routine, you can ensure that your kids stay active, have fun, and develop essential fitness skills. Remember to prioritize safety, encourage proper form, and adapt the exercises to suit your child’s age and abilities. CrossFit-inspired workouts offer a fantastic way to promote strength, endurance, coordination, and overall fitness while creating an enjoyable and engaging experience for your kids. So, lace up those sneakers, gather the family, and get ready to have a blast with these home CrossFit kid workouts this summer.
Check out our kids programme we run in term time. And look to sign up your kids to our CrossFit Kids Summer Camp here.
For amazing tips on CrossFit Kids check out CrossFit Kids and the Brand X Method.
Please read our other blog about training kids over the summer.
