New Year, New Adventures: Setting Family Goals with BOB Gear®
Photo Credit: Chey Goncalves @cheyfit_stayfit
The start of a new year is the perfect time to reflect on the past and set fresh goals for the future, both individually and together with your family. Setting family goals is a great way to embrace new adventures, help your children develop healthy lifelong habits, and strengthen your relationships.
Whether your goals include staying active, exploring the outdoors, or simply spending more quality time together, BOB Gear is here to help make them a reality. Let’s kick off the year by setting family goals that inspire connection, wellness, and adventure. Keep reading to find practical and attainable family goal ideas.
1. Get the Whole Family Involved: Just as you achieve goals together as a family, you should also set them together as a family. By discussing your goal ideas with your children, you can help them feel more involved and more motivated. Plus, you never know when one of your little ones might have a great goal idea for the family. As you set goals together, go over the tips below with your children and practice identifying specific, realistic goals. Then, work together to create an action plan for achieving each goal.
2. Be Specific: Broad goals like “get more active” or “try new things” sound great at first. However, without a specific action plan, these types of goals can feel impossible to achieve. To set more realistic goals, you can start with one of those broad categories and then brainstorm specific action items that fall within that category. For example, for “getting more active,” you might write down “weekly runs,” “nightly walks,” or “increase step count.” Select one or two of those specific action items to focus on for the upcoming year.
3. Make a Plan: Once you’ve set your goal, think about what changes you’ll need to make in your everyday life in order to achieve it. Maybe you’ll need to get up 15 minutes earlier for a quick workout session, or maybe you’ll need to adjust your family's nightly routine to make time for walks together. Just like with your overall goals, keep your plan realistic and specific so it’s easier to stay on track.
4. Be Intentional: Don't let your goals slip through the cracks. Be intentional and plan ahead, giving yourself helpful reminders and setting aside time in your daily schedule to work toward your goal. For example, if your goal includes nightly walks, schedule them in your calendar and set a reminder on your phone. If you want to go on a family hike once a month, schedule those trips in advance.
5. Track Your Progress: As you put your plan together, make sure you have a way to track your progress. This could include anything from using an app to making a physical checklist. Brainstorm ideas and think about what makes the most sense for your family and your specific goals.
Not sure where to start? Select one of the five broad categories below. Then, create a plan based on one of the specific goals that we’ve suggested, or brainstorm your own ideas with your family.
1. Get Active Together
This year, make family fitness a priority. Incorporating movement into your routine is not only good for your health but also a fun way to bond with your little ones. With BOB Gear jogging strollers, you can take your family on a journey toward a more active lifestyle.
Goal Ideas: Create an activity schedule for your family and set aside time each week for activities like:
Daily Strolls: Commit to a daily walk or jog with your BOB Gear jogging stroller. This can be around the neighborhood or at a local park.
Training for a 5K: Set your sights on a family-friendly race and train together with your running stroller.
Adventure Challenges: Try out a new trail together or log miles as a family.
BOB Gear Tip: BOB Gear’s all-terrain jogging strollers are built to handle everything from smooth sidewalks to rugged trails, making it easy to stick to your fitness goals no matter where the year takes you.
2. Explore New Places
Adventure is out there, and the new year is the perfect time to discover it. Make it a goal to explore more of the great outdoors together as a family. Whether you’re headed to a nearby park or a bucket-list destination, your BOB Gear jogging stroller can help you navigate the journey with ease.
Goal Ideas: Start by making a comprehensive list of places you want to visit as a family. Include both dream vacation destinations and local spots. Once you have your list, select a few places that you can visit this year based on your budget and schedule.
Your list might include spots like:
National Parks: Plan a trip to a stroller-friendly national park and enjoy the beauty of nature together. A few of our favorite parks include Yosemite, Acadia, Zion, Rocky Mountain, and Joshua Tree.
Seasonal Destinations: Explore local trails, beaches, or mountains during each season.
New Cities: Take a quick weekend trip to explore local attractions in nearby towns. Or, plan a longer trip to a big city that offers more activities.
BOB Gear Tip: As you explore new locations with your family, keep your phone, keys, wallet, and other essential items secure in a BOB Gear stroller console. These handy organizers also include cup holders so you can stay hydrated (or caffeinated) throughout the day.
3. Create Meaningful Traditions
Traditions are the heartbeat of family life. Whether it’s a weekly outing or an annual adventure, these shared experiences bring families closer together. The new year is a great time to revive a family tradition that you may have forgotten or start one for the first time.
Goal Ideas: As you brainstorm new traditions, think back to the moments that were most meaningful to you as a child. Or, think about what you’d like your child to remember when they grow up. Traditions can be as simple as:
Weekly Nature Walks: Dedicate one afternoon each week to exploring the outdoors as a family.
Adventure Journals: Create a family memory book to document your outings and milestones.
Monthly Family Adventure Days: Choose one day each month to embark on a big family outing, like a hike or a picnic in the park.
BOB Gear Tip: Want to start a tradition with a newborn? With the BOB Gear Wayfinder® pack, you can bring your little explorer on walks and outings from day one.
4. Embrace Wellness Together
Wellness isn’t just about fitness. It’s about nurturing both your body and your mind. Make time to slow down, connect with nature, and enjoy life’s simple pleasures with your family. In addition to regular exercise, prioritize mental health, nutritious meals, and rest time.
Goal Ideas: Kids learn by example — and the best way to set them up for a balanced and healthy lifestyle is to demonstrate wellness practices in your own life, working together as a family to incorporate mindfulness into your everyday routines. You can try things like:
Mindful Walks: Use your stroller time to unplug, breathe deeply, and enjoy the moment. You could also turn your daily stroll into a sensory walk with your little one. Talk to them about what they can see, hear, and feel so they can practice centering their minds and staying present.
Healthy Living Challenges: Set small, achievable goals like eating more home-cooked meals or spending time each day in the sunshine.
Gratitude Walks: End each outing by sharing one thing you’re grateful for as a family.
BOB Gear Tip: Keep nutritious snacks on hand that you can easily grab before heading out for walks. A small container of fruit or crackers can help keep your little explorer happy and engaged during longer strolls.
5. Expand Your Social Circle
Achieving fitness and wellness goals is always easier when you have a strong support group. As you make connections with other families, your little ones will have the chance to develop friendships and practice social skills.
Goal Ideas: While social media keeps us more connected than ever, it’s important to make in-person connections as well. You can expand your social circle by:
Taking Fitness Classes: Joining a workout group or class is an excellent opportunity to meet new people with similar goals. Look for a running group for parents or see if your local gym offers any family-oriented classes.
Scheduling Play Dates: Arrange a playdate for your children and some of their friends from daycare or school. You could meet up for coffee with other parents and take the kids to a local park, giving both you and your kids some social time.
Attending Local Programs: Small group events like reading time at the library or activity days hosted by your local parks and recreation department can give your little ones the chance to interact with others their age.
As you set your family goals for the year ahead, remember that every adventure matters – big or small. With the BOB Gear community by your side, you’ll have the support and tools you need to explore, connect, and thrive together.
We’d love to hear how your family is planning to make the most of the new year. Share your ideas in the comments or tag us on Instagram (@bobgearus) to show how BOB Gear is helping you turn those goals into reality. Whether it’s through photos, videos, or stories, showing how you use BOB Gear to create unforgettable moments can encourage other families to embrace adventure, too. You can share your outings by using hashtags like #BOBGearAdventures or #ExploreTogether.
Here’s to a year filled with movement, memories, and meaningful moments. Let’s start the year strong – one adventure at a time!