It is the responsibility of parents to instill in their children a lifelong appreciation for and ability to include physical activity. That way, they can establish habits that will serve them well into adulthood.
Kids can stay active by participating in both indoor and outdoor activities. You can play some sports with them, get them fun and playful toys, join a swimming class together, or tell them how being active can improve their lives.
Many parents might not know if their children are getting enough physical activity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that children and adolescents between the ages of Six and Seventeen engage in at least Sixty mins of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day (CDC). In addition, doing different things has health benefits.
Bone strength can be improved by spending an hour a week running or leaping three times a week. Youngsters should perform things like climbing and push-ups three days a week to build muscle. When kids are not physically active, it’s safe to assume that the adults in the house aren’t, either.
Adults may have also experienced weight gain. Getting fit is something that families should do together. Here’s where the imagination and good times may begin. Perform something active as a family at least 3 or 4 times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes, and be sure to mix up the things you do to keep kids indoors and outdoors.
Sports like soccer and baseball aren’t everyone’s cup of tea despite their popularity. Try to find other pursuits, such as dance, mountain climbing, kayaking, or martial arts, that your youngster will enjoy. And remember that it may take some time for your kid to discover the perfect fit. Additionally, it reduces anxiety, stress, sadness, and heart disease.
When your kid is no longer enjoying themselves, it’s usually time to look elsewhere. Continue to try new things until you find what works. Getting kids who aren’t naturally athletic to get up and move around is crucial if you want them to develop healthy habits and an active lifestyle.
2. Family Game Night
Family Game Night – ShapeDown
Family time that is consistent throughout a child’s development is crucial for their growth, development, and eventual success. The benefits can be obtained without idle chatter about politics and international relations.
Why not make operational activities like Twister a regular part of your so-called “family time” to get everyone moving (and laughing)?
3. Create Healthy Competition
Create Healthy Competition – ShapeDown
As long as it’s done with a positive attitude, healthy competition can be a great motivator to get moving. Hold informal contests to determine who can run the farthest (younger kids should get a head start), who can perform its most star jumps, who can bounce rope the longest, etc.
These activities also induce active learning in children and teach them how to participate in active play.
4. Join A Swimming Class
Join A Swimming Class – ShapeDown
Having to learn how to swim is a crucial life skill. Water safety and physical activity go hand in hand. If your youngster is five or older and doesn’t know how to swim, seasonal swimming courses are a terrific way to get them moving and on the path to learning organized sports.
The benefits of even a short swim in the warm waters of an indoor public pool on a chilly winter day can be enormous, especially for younger children and adults who are already proficient swimmers.
5. Limit TV And Computer Time
Limit TV And Computer Time – ShapeDown
Limit screen time, including time spent with television, videos, laptops, and video games. Utilize the extra time for increased physical activity. Give children opportunities to move, such as enrolling in an after-school program or recreation facility or taking up a sport through classes.
Get up and move during commercials while watching TV with your family. Some good options are jumping jacks, hula hooping, designing an obstacle course in the home garden, and jumping rope. You can research the amount of time screening according to your child’s age.
6. Walk Your Child To School
Walk Your Child To School – ShapeDown
Suggest, if possible, that you and your kids walk rather than drive the few blocks to school each morning. That way, they can productively begin their day every time. In addition to being beneficial for the planet and reducing rush-hour traffic, this is also a fantastic way for kids to get moving in the morning and meet new people on their way to and from school.
A family walk is the best way to spend time together. Children can also benefit from being encouraged to take a bike ride as a mode of transportation to and from school.
7. Encourage Responsibility For Pets
Encourage Responsibility For Pets – ShapeDown
Please discuss with your kid what dogs enjoy doing and what makes them content. Among these include taking walks and playing catch with a ball. This could be a good chance for you and your youngster to spend quality time together in the fresh air.
Even if it weren’t a dog, I’d still take it. To make the fish more appreciative of your child’s efforts, reframe the task of cleaning the fish tank as a kind deed rather than a boring duty.
8. Planning An Outing
Planning An Outing – ShapeDown
It’s not good for your children’s health to be inactive all the time, especially if they are already less active than other kids. Have more outings planned? It would help if you delegated responsibility to them instead.
Let them take the lead from selecting a location to gathering the necessary supplies. You won’t have to bother them to organize the next get-together after they’ve made it a habit. Visit your local parks and playgrounds with your kids.
9. Find Out What Motivates Your Child
Find Out What Motivates Your Child – ShapeDown
Social Motivation
Spending time doing something with other people nearly always makes it more enjoyable. Adults, like ourselves, benefit more from having a workout partner. Kids experience the same dynamics in their peer groups.
Playing with friends might encourage excellent physical activity, so consider making it a rule that they can’t bring electronic devices when a buddy comes over.
Intrinsic Motivation
Still, some thrive on the inherent values approach. If your child knows that going to the track after school would help them improve their running pace, they may be more motivated to go.
10. Make Exercise A Priority
It can be challenging to fit these activities with today’s increasingly hectic schedules. If you don’t consider it essential, you won’t be able to do it. If staying physically active is a priority for you and your family, you’ll make room in your routine.
Regular physical activity benefits weight loss and improves mood, reduces stress, strengthens muscles and bones, lowers the risk of long-term diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, and increases overall energy. Most kids enjoy an activity and wish to engage more often.
The Bottom Line
An essential thing to remember is the connection between a healthy diet and frequent exercise for optimal physical and mental functioning. In other words, the performance of either one alone will be diminished without the other. Keep checking how much exercise your kid needs and how much they are getting.
Hi, my name is Jim Yi and I am a Registered Respiratory Therapist / Respiratory Care Practitioner.
I have been earning experience within these fields for over a decade, learning all there is to know about cardio-pulmonary medicine and how to care properly for the body. Alongside my studies, I also trained to become a Fitness and Weight Management Expert.
I have created ShapeDown.com to teach anyone who is willing to listen how to take care of their body. This can be through exercise, nutrition, lifestyle changes, or supplements. We’ll look through it all here.
You can strengthen your body, enrich it, improve your energy levels, and boost your immune system by making some simple lifestyle changes. If you want to make a change and start honoring your body instead of weakening it, let’s start right now. I promise you won’t regret it!
