(ARA) – Finding time to exercise is difficult for everyone, no matter what their age. Parents especially have a difficult time shoehorning exercise into their schedules. One way to solve the dilemma: make exercise a family activity.

“The key is to find a group activity that everyone can enjoy together, regardless of age, skill level or interests,” says Norm Mears, CEO of RAVE Sports, a family recreational equipment company. “If you can get everybody outside and involved in something fun, they might not even realize they’re exercising.”

Activities don’t have to be expensive or complicated to provide health benefits, they just need to be something in which everyone can take part, and most importantly, they need to be fun. Here are some ideas for getting the family moving:

* Create an area in your house where your kids can try different activities that involve movement. You can include a boom box with various dance CDs, batons, streamers and hula hoops, large building blocks, cardboard boxes and indoor tents. All activity burns calories, so even games that don’t seem very strenuous are much healthier for children than sitting still in front of a videogame.

* You can also set up an activity area in the backyard. One unusual way to entice kids and parents outside is with RAVE’s Bongo. This portable bounce platform works on land and in the water. Because the Bongo is inflatable without any springs or bars, jumping is more work, and better exercise than it would be on a trampoline. You can also take it anywhere -- throw it in the minivan for breaks during long car trips or take it along in the boat for playtime on the water. It’s a great item to have along on camping trips too: “You can use it on the water during the day, and also at the campground in the evening,” says Mears.

* It could be something as simple as taking a family walk or playing a game together. Have available a croquet set, badminton rackets and a volleyball net in your backyard so the family can play at a moment’s notice. And don’t forget the water games: “I was really amazed at how constantly the floating water volleyball court is used at our house,” says Mears. With a set-up time of about 15 minutes, the RAVE portable floating volleyball court is a great way to get everyone into the water.

* Consider taking a class together as a family. Many health clubs have family fitness programs that are geared to different age groups exercising together. Popular activities include aerobics, swimming, biking or in-line skating.

* Encourage “lifetime sports” such as walking, running, tennis, swimming, aerobics and martial arts. “It’s important that kids learn activities that they can enjoy all their lives, and parents have a lot of influence on this,” adds Mears.

For more information about RAVE family water sports equipment, visit www.ravesports.com or call (800) 659-0790.

Courtesy of ARA Content