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Kids are always on the move. Their little bodies never seem to tire, and they bounce back from total exhaustion almost instantly. If we have children, or grandchildren, we don’t want to be sitting on the sidelines while they have fun. Playing with our kids is how we connect with them—and we don’t want to give that up!

Don’t worry. No matter what your age is, you’ll never be too old to be an active and playful parent.

And here’s how you do it!

Stretch Out

One healthy habit that all of us should follow is daily flexibility. Sure, it might seem like stiff and achy muscles are part of the aging process—but it’s only because non-athletes forget to stretch! We can improve how our bodies feel by striving for better flexibility.

We all appreciate stretching before an athletic competition or a workout. However, a consistent stretching program gives us daily rewards. Flexibility exercises help us move more freely, reduce the risk of injury, and improve our balance.

There are group fitness classes that focus on stretching techniques, or you can consult with an orthopedic professional. Learn how to stretch properly before you start because poor technique does more harm than good. Once we appreciate how to stretch our bodies, we can make it part of our daily routine.

Kickstart the Heart

One problem we encounter when trying to keep up with active children is lack of endurance. As we get older, we tire easier. It doesn’t have to be that way. One way to improve our ability to keep up with the younger generation is a good cardio program.

Improving our cardio doesn’t mean we have to be totally exhausted, dripping with sweat. Even mild exercise has long-reaching benefits! A regular schedule of walking improves heart health. Good cardio fitness has other benefits as well. A healthy heart reduces the risk of cardiovascular-related problems such as high blood pressure.

The key is raising our heart rate for a prescribed period with exercise or exertion. Before we begin any intense fitness program, you may want to get a physical or get clearance from your doctor. This information will provide us with the tools to begin a safe and effective cardio program to improve our endurance.

When we have kids or grandkids, we aspire to share in their active experiences. To help us keep up with our kids, we can do a couple important things. Keeping our bodies nimble and flexible decreases the risk of injury, plus reduces muscle and joint stiffness. Combining flexibility with cardio fitness will boost our endurance and keep us limber, so we can keep up with our kids and grandkids.