Memorial Day Fun Fitness Games | Prescription Fitness

Written By Stephen James Cert Personal Trainer

Looking for some ways to make Memorial Day games more active? Try out some of these classic games with a fitness twist to add to the fun!! If you are having trouble getting kids to eat fruits or vegetables, here is a way to pull a fast one on them. Set up an Eating Contest with the setup including at least one food from each of the major food groups (dairy, meat, grain, vegetable, fruit). Many kids love competition, so the simple fact that it is a contest in which they have an opportunity to win, may lead them to overlook previous attitudes towards certain foods.
Corn hole is a popular game that can easily have a fitness twist added to it. For every “air ball” (beanbag does not hit board) thrown, that team who threw the air ball will have to do 5 push ups. As an incentive to score points against the other team, for every “swish” (beanbag tossed directly into hole without sliding on board) the opposing team has to do five push ups. So make it rain 3-pointers like the Cavs in the playoffs!!
Later in the day, after the adult beverages have been consumed, play basketball knockout, or lightning, with the addition of a dizzy bat component before players take their initial shot. This will not only be fun for spectators to watch, but will create much more activity due to the crazy missed shots!
A relatively new game on the rise is Kan Jam. If you do not own one you can simply play with two garbage cans and a Frisbee. This is a good active partner game; however adding an element of jumping jacks can make things more interesting. Add a penalty of 5 jumping jacks for teams that make errant throws that their partners cannot reach, and force the opposing team to do 5 by directly hitting the “Kan.”