Exercising Opportunities Provided by High Gasoline Prices

When the price of gasoline begins climbing upward and reaching $5.00 or more per gallon, other means of transportation become much more appealing. Under the guise of dedicated exercise, we need to rescue our bicycles from storage, begin walking more, and explore other viable means of getting to work, or to town and back.

Park your car for the weekend, and you will find healthier ways to get from point A to point B. Walking or jogging your dogs around the neighborhood or to a corner market is a great place to start.

Get your kids up, and away from mind-numbing TV and video games, and get active with them. Walk to a nearby community pool or water splash park to exercise while cooling off in summer heat.

Opportunities for Family Recreation at Local Parks

Walking to your nearest park with sports balls and equipment will provide opportunities for family weekend bonding and recreational exercising. Because most parks have basketball courts or baseball diamonds, take your own basketball, baseball, bat, and glove.

An open park field is an ideal place to kick around a soccer ball, or throw a Frisbee with your family and friends, pets included. Chasing younger children around the playground apparatus is an engaging supervision tactic, providing exercise opportunities for all.

Organized Community Sports Teams and Classes

Organized community sports teams and classes at local parks offer age-appropriate skill levels, vary in price, and seasonal involvement. Getting your kids actively participating in neighborhood park sports will encourage the entire family to get involved exercising in sideline activities.

If team sports or classes are not offered at your neighborhood park, start your own weekend teams. It does not require anything more than a soccer or football to get your own teams meeting up for Saturday afternoon skirmishes.

Exercise Opportunities in Your Neighborhood

Every summer we set up a long Slip-and-Slide on our front lawn, and all the neighbors would line up, for their turn to run through the water tunnel. We also organized the neighborhood, walking our kids in large groups to the local park playground, to enjoy hours of exhaustive recreation.

If you live near a ranch take horseback riding classes for exercise and fun, while learning an alternate transportation life skill. If you are close to the beach surf the waves, and jog, or go boogie boarding along the shoreline.

Take the family for a hike or bike ride in the foothills or along mountain trails. Or simply decide to exercise nightly after dinner, and take family walks with your dogs, around the neighborhood.