“A family that plays together stays together.” That’s what one of my patients once told me. While I was a therapist at a rehab hospital, I had a patient who was very eager to find new ways of exercising and playing sports. He was newly injured with a C-6/7 spinal cord injury, and his family was there every day participating in his therapy. They were truly his motivation for returning to a normal life. He and his family were very active before his accident, and he wanted to continue to live that active lifestyle.

He was a fun patient to have because he wanted to try it all. We tried tennis in a sports chair, taping his hand around the handle to help with his grip. I put him in a racing chair and told him to imagine crossing the finish line at Peachtree Road Race. We smashed each other in rugby chairs while his kids cheered and his wife cringed. He was determined to continue to be a positive role model for his children and show them how to live a healthy and active life.

For me that’s where it started, with my parents. I saw how active they were, playing tennis kayaking, hiking, and camping and it just made sense for me to participate with my parents. My interests may have changed, but my love for fitness and activity is still around as a priority in my life. Here is an easy guideline to help make fitness a priority in your family.

1.  Have your family doctor approve everyone for exercise. If there are specific conditions like asthma, your physician can help you think of ways to safely modify activities.

2.  Parents should set the example. If children see you eating healthy and exercising, they will most likely follow in those footsteps.

3.  Aim for 30 minutes of outdoor activity three days a week. You can do anything from raking leaves to building a snowman or walking the dog; just get out and get moving.

4.  Keep it simple and fun.

5.  Go to a park, play horseshoes, take a walk, or make an obstacle course and time each other through it.

6.  Ride your bikes (or handcycles).

7.  Sign up for a 5K and train for it together. There are plenty of walk/run/push races out there to choose from. By training together, you are more likely to stick with the program.

8.  Have a Family Fitness Night.  Each week one member of the family gets to choose which fun family activity to do, whether playing tag, swimming, or Frisbee golf.

Some of my favorite childhood memories came from our family activities: kickball games, Mom teaching me how to water-ski, watching my little brother get dragged along the lake (priceless). Keeping your family fit helps everyone remain (or get) healthy, makes exercise more fun, and it helps build strong family connections. Start today!