Take your kids to the playground with confidence. In this cardio workout for women you will get the real life strength training you need to chase them around all the equipment while keeping them safe.
I have yet to meet a kid that does not adore the playground.
Tons of things to climb on, lots of imagination to be had, and a chance to use those physical skills that their little bodies are quickly developing make the playground the number one choice for Zoey and William any day of the week.

While some parents are able to sit on the bench alongside the playground while their children play and climb, my time at the playground with a four and two year old is much more active.
This post contains affiliate links.
Take the guesswork out of your workout time with a more focused workout plan and actually put your gym time to good use. This free Two Week At Home Workout Plan focuses on cardio conditioning, muscle tone, and core strength so you can chase your children easily no matter where you are.
Grab your free Two Week At Home Workout Plan here.
Six reasons you need to actually be in good shape to take your kids to the playground
If I am not alert, wearing stable shoes, and physically ready, then I am physically sore the next day, or one of the kids ends up hurt somehow. Here are all the other reasons why being in shape at the playground is for your benefit.
You might have to climb into a tunnel to rescue them.
This has happened with Zoey at least twice in my vivid memories.

Once was at an indoor playground and I had to climb up two flights of stair-like structures inside an enclosed space to get to her. Then she demanded I carry her out. In a space I had to crawl through.
The second she got halfway through it, got scared, and was inconsolable so she could not find her way out.
You have to lift them onto the monkey bars and hold them up while they move to the next rung.
Anytime I do this with Zoey she gets super wiggly and whining, but she doesn’t want to be put down. It certainly adds an element of strength to it.
Since I wear Hazel in the baby carrier for most of our playground time, I get out of it.

You have to stand for a long time while pushing them on the swings because it is their favorite play equipment.
William would swing for our whole playground stay if I let him. He hops on and instructs me with pure joy to go, “Up to the sky.”

I have clocked him very happy in the swing, swinging as high as the swing will go for up to 20 minutes. That is a lot of underdogs.
You have to balance on the uneven terrain.
It could be sand, wood chips, squishy ground, or turf. All of them cause pieces of things to get in everyone’s shoes, which causes reason #5 to stay fit for the playground.
You have to bend down a lot, often times while carrying another child.
Taking shoes off to empty them, picking up kids who fell down, and cleaning up snack wrappers are all part of playground time.
You need to keep your head on a swivel if you have more than one kid at the playground with you.
At any given moment someone could be climbing something too high or trying to step off a platform into thin air (see: heart attacks William gives me every day).

I am sure there will come a day when I can be that blissful parent I see sitting on the bench next to the playground reading a book or listening to a podcast while they dazedly watch their children play.
For now, the playground remains a place where I am almost as active as the kids. Doing a workout that focuses on time on your feet, balance, shoulder strength, neck mobility, and flexibility is key to a happy playground stay.
Plus it means I will not be sore the next day just from being at the playground. I have trained for this.

Playground Chase Cardio Workout For Women
This Playground Chase Cardio Workout is ideal to help you get in shape for the heart pumping strength that the playground takes.
You can watch the video of this workout here.
I adore the Bowflex Adjustable Dumbbells for all my home workouts. You can read my full review of them here.
Complete as many rounds of these moves as you can for a total of 15-20 minutes. Rest as little as possible between all moves (Because does your child ever actually rest while they are at the playground? No? Then keep moving.).
Jump Squat to Press

Single Arm Dumbbell Swings

Side Shuffle Weight Switch

Back Fly to Double Calf Raise

Renegade Row to Squat Jack

Front Lunge to Knee Lift

Have fun with this workout! Take breaks as needed, but definitely keep your heart rate up. Your next time at the playground is going to be so much easier.
Stop throwing dinner together in a rush after the playground time and workout. Instead, pull something pre-made and healthier out of the freezer! These four freezer friendly meals will get you breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack ready to go when you are.
Set 11 contains four recipes, a shopping list, a plan of attack to get everything made efficiently, and ideas of what to do with leftover ingredients.
Grab your four freezer-friendly recipes here.

I’m Brooke Selb, a Personal Trainer and Health Coach specializing in helping busy moms and moms to be to easily juggle mom life with family friendly recipes, and easy exercise routines to help you achieve your fitness goals that fit in with your already busy life with sound nutritional advice.

