Buy a small 2kg soft Pilates ball—basically a rubber ball filled with sand and...

Buy a small 2kg soft Pilates ball—basically a rubber ball filled with sand and a bit of air.

Make a game with your kids:

First, they just lift it and drop it into a box.

Then, they lift it and place it on a chair.

After that, have them stand behind the chair and lift it over the backrest to drop it onto the seat.

This is a great game for small children—they love it, and it builds real strength in a playful way.

If 2kg is too much at first, get a 1kg version.

I did this with my kids. As my oldest got bigger, I started taking him to the gym. He’d lift 5kg, 15kg, even 20kg balls to shoulder height—over a bar or onto a stack of boxes.

We made it a race: Lift it onto the box. Jump up on top of the box, throw it back down, repeat 5 times.

We’d time him to see who could finish fastest.

It’s excellent exercise—and the best part is, it’s all play. Soft weights mean no risk of injury, even if they drop it on their feet. The equipment is cheap, and you can do it all at home.