Conquering Your 10k Steps for the Day with a Toddler

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Ten thousands steps a day sounds pretty easy right? Or, at least they tell me it’s easy. For some of you, this may be a breeze, but for many of us, 10k steps is a challenge. This is especially true if your toddler is being difficult. I know some moms that are super active and they’re getting 10k + a day. But this post isn’t for them, it’s for those of us who get close, but find that life interrupts us and gets in the way.

Here are some ways I get my 10k steps in daily:

Have a dance party:

kids love dancing. I put on some energetic music and encourage silly dancing. It’s even more fun for them if you make it a game and have them freeze when the music stops and they can’t move until it starts playing again. While they’re dancing their hearts out, move your feet like your life depends on it. This could easily go on for 15 + minutes and you might even be able to get half of your 10k steps in one sitting.

Piggy back rides:

Okay, maybe not the most fun for mom or dad, but totally effective. They have a fun ride and you get your steps in and burn a few more calories due to the additional weight you’re carrying around. Win, win.

Go on an adventure aka a walk:

If they like the stroller, go for a job or walk a good distance. If they’re not a fan of the storller but can walk, take a walk around your neighborhood. Point out fun observations like the color of certain flowers, or a hunt for a certain object. You can get more distance in if you make it a game for them. If they don’t like the stroller and can’t walk, try a baby carrier.

Exercise together:

I love workout videos. I can do them when I have a free moment and a lot of them are now about 30 minutes. I feel you can always get 30 minutes in somewhere in your day. My daughter will “workout” with me, running around like crazy and trying to mimic the moves.

For those of you whose kids aren’t too keen on the idea, my daughter used to hate me working out and would scream and yell. I thought I was going to have to give it up until she was in bed, but I wanted to try a few things before throwing in the towel. First, I encouraged her to come and work out with me and that worked for a little while. The screaming continued. So then I had this idea to bring out the camera on my phone. I flipped the camera so she could see herself working out or running around. She loved it. This worked for a while, but eventually she got tired of it. I worked out each day a little longer…15 mins…20 mins…25…and then 30. She eventually got used to the time and I made sure to give her my full attention after completing the video. After a few rough weeks, she now tells me to work out.

Indoor or outdoor obstacle course:

Now, here me out—this doesn’t have to be anything fancy. It could be a chalk drawing or pieces of tape placed on the floor. You do not need to have SERIOUS “obstacles.” Have a balance beam (line drawn on the ground they have to walk across) and stepping stones (draw little circles they have to hop on in order to get to the other side), have fun with it. You follow behind them and get those steps in! Do it over and over, the kids will have a blast.

If you’re on the search for a pedometer, my favorite is still the FitBit. I currently have an AppleWatch which I love and adore for all the apps and features, but I love the community and challenges on the FitBit. I have actually debated (multiple times) on wearing both. I still haven’t decided if I should or not. What do you think? Would it be ridiculous? I’m pretty sure if my Apple Watch didn’t have a find phone feature on it and I couldn’t access my apps from it, I’d have switched back to fitbit a long time ago. If only I could access the community with my watch 🙁

As you can see, there are a lot of other ways you can get your 10k steps in!

There are many other ways you can get creative with your steps, but these are just some fun ideas to start you off. Create that obstacle course, put on some great music and dance your heart out, create a scavenger hunt! The main goal is to have fun with it and see which ones work best for you and your little one. Remember, your health is important and you should always view it as a priority.

What fun ways do you get your steps in? Let me know in the comments or send me a tweet @apronwarrior!