Spring is here! (Er, it’s coming . . . .) With warmer days ahead, think about adding exercise to your daily family routine. It’s a great way to establish healthy habits for life.

Regular exercise helps you maintain a healthy weight, improves mental health, reduces the risk of heart disease, increases muscle strength, and enhances overall well-being. A good goal is 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day. Even better: add some short, high intensity bursts of exercise.

Check out these family-friendly fitness ideas from Joel Beithon, lead physical therapist at Rehabilitation Services in Northfield:

• Talk with your spouse or partner about the benefits of family fitness; make it part of your family’s schedule – nightly walks after dinner, a Saturday morning bike ride.
• Support each other’s interests and goals.
• Encourage your kids to take part in a summer sport -- the routine helps develop healthy habits.
• While you walk or jog, invite your kids to bike along.
• Learn a new sport together. Tennis! Rock climbing! New adventures together help foster self-esteem and promote physical activity in a fun way.
• Leave the car at least once a week, and walk or bike to your destination together.
• Hang out at a park. Games like football, frisbee, basketball and soccer boost your heart rate and hone motor skills.
• Give play as a gift. For birthdays and gift occasions, think bikes, in-line skates, a baseball glove, a basketball – gifts that fits your kid’s interests and make fitness fun.

Learn more at https://www.northfieldhospital.org/rehabilitation-services

Joel Beithon, PT is manager of Physical Therapy at Rehabilitation Services clinic in Northfield. To make an appointment with Joel, call the clinic at (507) 646-8800.