According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, children between the ages of 6 and 17 should get at least an hour of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every single day. But with so many distractions—from video games, to TV to tablets—that keep kids sedentary, clocking 60 minutes of exercise is easier said than done.

But what if you can capitalize off of that screen addiction to help get kids off the couch? Here are 10 apps that encourage users to engage in physical activity or even "gamify" exercise is a fun way.

NFL Play 60

Chances are your children are familiar with running games like Minion Rush or Subway Surfers. In these apps, players control characters who endlessly run, jump, and collect objects until they hit an obstacle. NFL Play 60 works on a similar basis: Your children choose a character that represents their favorite football team, but they have to run and jump in real life to collect coins they can use to upgrade their avatars. You can track their daily activity levels and create custom exercise plans. And yes, they must hold on to their devices while engaging in physical activity, so you may want to invest in an Otter Box case to prevent damage.

Available for: iOS / Android

Apple Fitness+

If your children have an Apple Watch and are looking for ways to close their rings, this subscription app offers plenty of unconventional workouts, such as dancing, yoga, and meditation, that are perfect for any age group. Also, if each family member wears an Apple Watch, you can all do the same workouts together. Each session has a trainer working at a lower intensity that kids can follow, and each instructor's optimism is infectious. Find out more about the app here.

Available for: iOS (obviously)

Sworkit

Perhaps best known for its founders snagging one of the largest deals on the reality show Shark Tank, this app offers workouts for kids, ranging from strength training, to cardio, to yoga and stretching, tailored to specific age groups. Instead of showing adults doing the exercises, kids perform each move, which range from bear crawls to jumping jacks. Kids can also set the length of the workout. While adults have to pay for a subscription, the youth workouts are free and can be accessed here.

Available for: iOS / Android

GoNoodle

Chances are your kids are already familiar with the dances accompanying catchy songs like "Banana, Banana, Meatball" and "Purple Stew," as teachers often play the short videos featured on the app to get students moving during class. Each of the over 300 songs and exercises is about physical activity and having fun, and they never seem to get old. Don't be surprised if you start singing "Clap It Out" after a few watches.

Available for: iOS / Android

Calm

You need to cool down after a workout, right? This popular relaxation app isn't just for adults. The Calm Kids section offers sleep stories with characters like Winnie the Pooh and Peter Pan and guided meditations featuring the Minions from Despicable Me. There are even videos utilizing movements to boost energy or relax muscles. However, you have to be a subscriber to access these features.

Available for: iOS / Android

Zombies, Run!

This app will track the details of your kid's run, much like Strava. What sets it apart is how it motivates users to move, which is (if the app's name didn't give it away) the natural fear of zombies. Headphones pipe in a story of a zombie apocalypse into your youngster's ears, and they'll have to speed up their movement to avoid having their brains eaten. There are now 10 seasons of stories to choose from, and developers recently added an expansion called Marvel Move that allows runners to run alongside their favorite comic book superheroes. You can try the app for free for a week, but only subscribers can access all the content. (Some moms and dads mention that the stories can be a little intense for younger runners, so parental discretion is advised.)

Available for: iOS / Android

Super Stretch Yoga

This simple-to-use app combines the charm of the current comic book craze (Super Stretch is a child superhero who uses a blanket for his cape) with animated characters and kids performing 12 gentle yoga poses for users to recreate. Additionally, it encourages its youthful users to take a moment to take deep breaths, reflect, and act with kindness.

Available for: iOS

Jump Jump Froggy

Much like NFL Play 60, this app combines gaming and physical movement. In one of the three modes, kids control frogs trying to catch flies and avoid the owls and snakes that are out to get them. Speaking of snakes, Situp Snake tracks how many situps one kid can do in a minute, encouraging them to set a new record each week. The Counting Challenge combines math and physical fitness as kids have to jump while counting ants. While the graphics aren't impressive, it will still engage younger kids.

Available for: iOS / Android

Walkr

Getting in your 10,000 steps can get boring fast. The award-winning Walkr app turns this daily movement goal into a space-age game that uses a phone's pedometer to keep track of a user's steps. There are more than 30 missions to complete, and movement is used to fuel players' spaceships so they can move on to the next mission. The drawback for some parents is the game has a social element, plus there are in-app purchases that could entice players to give themselves an edge.

Available for: iOS / Android

Fitivity

If you have a student-athlete who wants to improve their skills in their chosen sport, Fitivity offers workouts at all levels to help users improve their skills in everything from basketball to rugby.

Available for: iOS / Android

Summer vacation has begun for many of us, and chances are your kids are spending their free time in front of a screen instead of enjoying the nice weather. We won't repeat the warnings about children and screen time here, but we admit it: Pulling them away from whatever video game is capturing their attention can be tricky. If they're bouncing off the walls, however, then some sunshine and exercise might change their attitude. "My kids are the best selves outside, and we've noticed a difference," says Shirra Baston, the founder and editor of the blog Get the Kids Outside.

If you're looking for ways to get them to spend time outdoors, here are a few ways to find some fun and help instill in them an appreciation of nature.

Learn about nature (and the nighttime sky) with an app

True, you're trying to get your kid off screens. But that doesn't mean you can't use technology to help instill a sense of curiosity in children and learn more about the world around them.

For daytime exploring, check out PlantNet (iOS, Android)—a free app that identifies plants. Reviewers say the app gives quick and accurate results without annoying ads. And get your kids interested in their winged neighbors with the Merlin app, which will record and ID any birds in the vicinity.

Baston recommends trying the SkyView app (links to the "lite" version: iOS/Android) when the sun goes down. Point your camera at the sky, and the app will identify planets, stars, constellations, and even satellites.

Attempt a science experiment

A few years ago, I made a mess in my backyard by putting Mentos in a bottle of Diet Coke, but my boys loved it (and learned a bit from it). That's just one of the science experiments you can try outdoors. You can show your kids how people told time before watches by building a sundial or making a homemade solar oven to make s'mores. This website is a great place to start if you need some inspiration, and this video also has some fun, simple activities that will hold your child's attention:

Visit a botanical garden or nature preserve

Many botanical gardens and nature preserves offer programs tailored for children and families. These include yoga classes, scavenger hunts, and flashlight evening walks.

If no classes or activities are available, try encouraging your kids to feel the grass under their feet or notice the butterflies and insects that call the grounds their home. Let them experience the different scents of the flowers and ask about their favorites. When you get home, have them search for any similar scents or plants in your backyard.

Have some ideas in your back pocket

Sidewalk chalk is an old but reliable standby that can fire up your child's imagination. However, making hopscotch boards or drawing butterflies can quickly become tiresome for your kids.

Baston recommends having some ideas ready on the fly to keep them occupied. You could start a tic-tac-toe game using sticks, rocks, and acorns or go on a hike and give each other points for each animal or tree they see.

"You could make it up on the fly," adds Baston. "That's the beauty of nature. There's always something new and different that you can see."

Capture nature on canvas or turn it into art

Monet did it. So did van Gogh. Pissarro was also a huge fan of plein air painting—the act of painting outdoors. Grab some easels, canvases, brushes, and paints, (this set has everything you need) and head to a picturesque spot near your home and spend the day painting what you see. You can paint "pretty little trees" like Bob Ross or be like Renoir and go for an impressionist style. There really is no right or wrong way to do it as long as you and your child are having fun.

You can transform nature into a masterpiece as well. With your kid, gather up leaves, flowers, twigs, acorns, stones, and anything else you can glue down. Your kid can create stick figures using actual sticks or craft a collage with leaves and petals—or transform a rock into a creature with this activity kit.

Make a "barky boat" or a fairy garden

In Bluey, there is an episode when the titular blue heeler and her friend Mackenzie make boats using a piece of tree bark and other natural items to help them sail down the stream in their preschool. The show's official website has instructions to help you get started, but the internet has plenty of great ideas to take things to the next level.  

Another Bluey episode involves an invasion of fairies inside the Heeler home. If your kids love these mythical creatures, why not help them attract a few by assembling a fairy garden? It can be as easy as building a home with popsicle sticks and planting herbs in a wicker basket. If you want to take it to the next level, grab some moss, rocks, and garden gnomes at your local landscaping store to give the fairies an elaborate home they can't resist. This kit can help your kid get started.

Let your kids take the lead

A walk in the woods can be a great outdoor activity for the whole family, but sometimes your kid isn't into it—or is too little to hike any real distance. In that case, Baston recommends letting them be the leader and decide your family's direction (within reason, of course—we don't want you getting lost).

She explains, "You have to be okay with not necessarily reaching the destination you want to reach. It gives them a sense of ownership and accountability to the activity and engages them a lot more."

From Walk the Line to Oppenheimer, biopics can introduce audiences to inspirational and complicated individuals who achieved greatness through innovative thinking or sheer determination. However, these two films, and many others in the genre, aren't really for family viewing. To help kids learn about important people throughout history—and maybe find their own inspiration to shake things up—we've selected several movies that you can share with them about people who changed the world in ways big and small.

Apollo 13 (1995)

Astronaut Jim Lovell was supposed to walk on the moon in 1970, but an explosion on his spacecraft caused the oxygen supply on the ship to leak, leading to his moon landing being abandoned and a rescue mission to get them home. Based on his autobiography Lost Moon, the compelling story of how Lovell and his crew worked with a team of NASA scientists in Houston to return to Earth is one of the most technically accurate films about space flight. Plus, the stunning visuals and edge-of-your-seat story will keep kids riveted, even if they already know the ending.

Where to stream: Digital rental

Hidden Figures (2016)

When watching Apollo 13, you may notice that the film's cast consists primarily of white men. What you may not know is that three female African-American mathematicians played a vital role in America getting into space in the first place. The once-unknown story of how Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Johnson, and Mary Jackson helped NASA win the Space Race may feel routine, but you and your kids will still be cheering at the end.

Where to stream: Digital rental, Disney+

Ruby Bridges (1998)

The made-for-television film depicts how the titular student helped integrate a formerly all-white public school in New Orleans with the NAACP, her parents, and a teacher who saw Bridges' potential. Despite the complaint filed by a Florida parent last year that claims the movie might teach children that "white people hate Black people," this award-winning biopic has quite the opposite effect, making it an excellent choice for family viewing.

Where to stream: Digital rental, Disney+

Lincoln (2012)

This Steven Spielberg-directed biopic focuses on the political maneuvering used by the 16th President of the United States and his allies that ultimately led to the passing of the 13th Amendment, which abolished the practice of slavery. While the film might be tedious and complicated for younger kids, positive messages about leadership, freedom, and the importance of doing the right thing make it an essential watch for families. Younger viewers might lean more towards John Ford's 1939 classic Young Mr. Lincoln.

Where to stream: Digital rental

The Miracle Worker (1962)

The film's title refers to Anne Sullivan, who, through persistence and seemingly sheer will, teaches the blind and deaf Helen Keller to communicate with others. Keller would become the first person with her condition to earn a Bachelor's Degree and become a founding member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Featuring intense performances by Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke, the film dramatically displays how anyone can overcome seemingly impossible challenges.

Where to stream: Digital rental, Tubi, Pluto TV, Hoopla

The Elephant Man (1980)

Speaking of Anne Bancroft, she also appears in David Lynch's film about the life of Joseph (John) Merrick, the Londoner whose appearance makes it difficult for society to relate to him. Possibly the most straightforward of all of Lynch's films, families will get enveloped in this beautifully photographed story of compassion and the human condition, capped with outstanding performances by John Hurt (as Merrick) and Anthony Hopkins.

Where to stream: Digital rental, Hoopla, Crackle, Kanopy, Pluto TV

Stand and Deliver (1988)

When the other teachers in an East Los Angeles high school had given up on their working-class students, math teacher Jaime Escalante saw their potential and instilled in them the desire to learn calculus. This inspiring movie shows that regardless of background, anyone can surpass what is expected of them and that hard work and practice will lead to success.

Where to stream: Digital rental, The Roku Channel

The Walk (2015)

Yes, the documentary Man on Wire, which also tells the story of Philippe Petit's high-wire walk between the towers of the World Trade Center in 1974, is superior to this special-effects-filled retelling. However, it's not entirely appropriate for younger kids. If you're okay with some mild swear words and a glimpse of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's butt, this story of one man going to impossible lengths to make his dreams come true is a good substitute. Just don't look down when Petit starts walking across the wire.

Where to stream: Digital rental, Starz

A Million Miles Away (2023)

Much like Petit in The Walk, there is a scene in this movie where migrant farm worker Jose Hernandez (Michael Peña), who would become the first Mexican-American astronaut, tells someone his dream is to travel to space, only to have her laugh at him. This moving film depicts his unusual journey to achieve his lofty goal, despite those who doubted his drive, acquiring the skills to become an engineer and ultimately traveling to the International Space Station.

Where to stream: Prime Video

October Sky (1999)

Jake Gyllenhaal plays Homer Hickam Jr., a teenager so fascinated with the launch of Sputnik that he and his three friends build rockets and study the science behind them despite the lack of support from his coal miner father. This film shows what can happen when people work together to achieve a common goal. 

Where to stream: Digital rental

Miss Potter (2006)

Though likely better suited for pre-teens than kids who are currently reading the titular author's books, this charming period biopic about Peter Rabbit writer Beatrix Potter (Renée Zellweger) and the genesis of her most famous creation features romance, some period class drama, and cute animated sequences featuring her characters. What makes the story worthy of family viewing is that Potter's parents disapprove of her creative activities, yet she carries on, despite their protests, to great success.

Where to stream: Digital rental, Peacock, Tubi, Freevee, Plex, YouTube, Pluto TV