Wish your kids would move more than video game joysticks over the summer break? It’s a good goal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular physical activity helps children improve their self-confidence, school achievements, social connectedness, and positive family relationships. The best way to get bodies moving is to make it fun. Here are three ways your family can have fun together.

Martial Arts

by Denise Springer

Tae Kwon Do is one of the fastest growing forms of martial arts in the world. Parents Joe and Jan Reinke and their children, Lauren, 13 and John, 11, are all second-degree black belts at Dragon Kim’s Tae Kwon Do in Edmond. They’ve been students of 8th degree black belt Grand Master Kim since 1998.

"We came here because our son, John, was interested," explained Joe Reinke. "But we decided it looked like fun so we all joined."

"We were looking for something that we could do together," Jan said. "We’d been through a lot of team sports and wanted an activity that didn’t spread us out so much. Plus, Joe and I didn’t like being sideline parents—we wanted to do something too."

"Tae Kwon Do is a team sport, in a way," Lauren said. "Your teammates in class help you and support you. It’s fun. Everyone in my family has made friends here—friends we share. Being here together gives us more to talk about."

"It’s a very social place," John agreed. "We’ve made lots of friends and it’s fun."

"We decided to do Tae Kwon Do as a unit," said Jan. "We’ve progressed together and we can relate to each other about what we’re going through. I think it’s beneficial for kids to see their parents struggling and sweating."

Joe agreed. "A little humility is good for us. We all started off equal but the kids quickly exceeded us. I think it’s important that kids see their own abilities develop and surpass their parents’."

"But they have to do it respectfully," Jan said. "Master Kim encourages children to be an active part of the family. He demands that they be respectful and responsible and that they do their best academically."

The benefits of such an international sport reach beyond the immediate family. "There’s such a variety of cultures here and you really get to know each other in class," Jan said. "We all work hard and support each other. Here, it’s a bonding sport."

To find a martial arts school that fits your family’s needs, visit several. Talk with the instructor and students, sit in on a class, or ask if you can join a session for a trial run. Many schools will let you "try before you buy."

Denise Springer is Editor of MetroFamily Magazine and a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwan Doe.