Regardless of how uneasy it is to get your kids involved in physical activities, getting them involved should be one of your topmost priorities as a parent. This is because children, like adults, need frequent physical activity to stay healthy. In today’s world, exercise is fast becoming unfashionable, with people, especially children, more concerned with making more money, staying woke, and living their fantasized lives. The CDC reports that just 50% of 12-15-year-old males and 34% of girls are physically fit. Unfit youngsters are more prone to cardiovascular and chronic diseases and mental health difficulties. Research also shows that several fat toddlers grow up to be obese, and obesity increases the risk of contracting colon, breast, and endometrial cancers.
Kids love to spend too much time in front of screens and ignore the fundamentals of living right and healthy. Fortunately, you can turn the tide. Encourage your kids to exercise daily to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. This will help them avoid future cancers. Running, jumping, and skipping are beneficial exercises for kids under six. Children aged six to seventeen should exercise vigorously for at least an hour per day for at least five days.
As a parent, you know that getting your children to exercise is not easy. Most times, they will grumble and find a means to escape what they perceive to be torture. However, you can get your kids involved in physical activities using these approaches presented below:
One of the practical and proven ways to get your kids involved in physical activities is to set a good example.
Your kids are skilled observers who pick up on your good and bad habits. They will be more likely to do the same if they see you enjoying physical activity and having fun.
Exercising as a means of conveyance is another good way to get your children involved in physical activities.
You may stroll your kids to school, cycle to pals, or rollerblade to the playground. Parking at the far end of the lot also avoids the elevator. Doing all these forces your kids to move their limbs, which is the basics of exercising.
Making exercise one of your family events is yet another proven way to get your kids involved in physical activities.
Indicate that everyone can join in the enjoyment. This strategy is one of the most effective ways to impact your child’s fitness habits. Participate in an outdoor adventure, swimming/running club with them, or bring a ball/flying disk to the park as an example of how you can involve your children in sports.
Making the entire process of physical activities fun is another sure way to get your kids involved.
Playing encourages kids to keep exercising. To get some exercise, play music and dance around the house. Give rewards to children that show the most resilience and create a healthy competition among the entire participants of the exercise process.
Your kids will be more obliged to participate in physical activity if they perceive it as a team effort.
Set up a playdate for your kids’ friends. Your children will also be happier seeing their friends participating in their fun exercise. Encourage all parties by providing snacks, and sweets, among other things. If you try to encourage your kids to exercise as adolescents, you will have little to no problem having them exercise when they grow into teenagers.
Another way to get your kids involved in physical activities is to encourage yourself with a little friendly rivalry.
Do some push-ups or jumping jacks with your kids. Award the winner a trophy. It would be best if you also rewarded effort. Apart from achieving the purpose of exercise for which you’ve set up the competition, rewarding efforts allows your children to understand that putting in the right amount of effort will lead to success and that though they might not always win, they’ve done well.
Involving your kids in household tasks is an excellent way to get them involved in physical activities.
Cleaning up after yourself, washing the dog or car, or mowing the lawn is a great way to get some exercise. It is not just about doing the dedicated running, jogging, or push-ups. Allow your child spend some time under the early morning sun cleaning your car or mowing the lawn. Please encourage them to walk a mile in the evenings to get you something. Doing all of these will allow them to get the workout they need.
Giving your children encouragement gifts will boost their morale to get more involved in physical activities.
Please do not wait until Christmas or Hanukkah to gift your children, especially when they fulfill the exercise goals for a week, month, or quarter. Buy them gifts specifically labeled to reward the effort they’ve put in to exercise. Encouragement gifts are a terrific way to thank someone who likes to exercise. Active-play video games, ice skates, soccer balls, and even rollerblades can help get folks moving. Activity-tracking software and apps are a blast for children.
Restricting television and computer watch times is another effective means to get your child involved in physical activities.
Recreational centers, after-school programs, and sports activities can help keep youngsters active and interested. During commercials, have everyone do jumping jacks, hula hoops, or even jump rope. However, remember that your kids also need to be very social, which means they should not be restricted from watching the television or playing with their phones. You only have to keep them off these gadgets long enough for them to complete their daily chores, assignments, exercise, and reading bouts. Yes, encourage your child to read. Reading is a mental exercise.
Planning and including new physical activities for your holiday is a great way to get your kids involved in physical activities.
Pick a few family-friendly activities. Consider activities like hiking, kayaking, camping, and snorkeling. While you’re gone, your kids will learn about nature and other places. Vacation activities may grow into long-term family interests.
Regular exercise can be beneficial to your children’s health in multiple ways. Fitness-minded kids outperform their less-fit peers in certain studies. Exercise also helps kids develop mental clarity, reduce tension, and release energy. Encourage, but don’t force, your kids to be more active. Check out some exercises for your kids; you may also join them in doing these exercises.
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Jumping
Get your feet off the ground and keep them there by doing these essential exercises. Jumping is an excellent technique for building muscle, stamina, and health. How about competing with a friend, sibling, or even an adult to see who can leap the highest?
Jumps for youngsters that are fun:
Start with a straight hop, then cross one foot in front of the other. Foot crisscross:
Side-to-side or front-to-back hopping over a mock obstacle
In the first jump, stretch your arms and legs out to the sides like a starfish.
Lift one knee and jump on the other leg a certain amount of times. (It’s also a great balance workout.)
Plunge jumps: flex your knees and lower your heels.
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Ball Games Indoors
Indoor or outdoor ball games are an excellent method for kids to exercise. Among the benefits include aerobic exercise, balance, and coordination training. Also, kids seem to enjoy any activity that involves a ball.
Small-space indoor ball games include:
- Laundry basketball throwing.
- Targeted usage of a common household item.
- Catching balls in the air with a plastic mixing bowl.
Parents should always ensure their children are safe when playing with a ball. It’s best to play indoor games with softballs, such as yoga balls or foam balls, to avoid injuries. It would be best if you also utilized adequately fitting safety gear using a soft or hard ball.
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Skipping
Skipping is a fun cardio workout that also tests balance and coordination. Here are several skipping games:
Create an outdoor hopscotch game with chalk or masking tape (inside). Enter a small object (such as a beanbag) into one of the squares to play. This subject is endlessly mutable. They then hop, skip, or jump their way through the course to avoid landing in that square.
Kids should jump rope for a specific time. Create a competitive atmosphere by urging them to skip ahead and backward. You may make an introductory obstacle course for your children using chairs and pots as props. Pace your kids and encourage them to beat their previous bests. Everyone skips catching their opponent instead of running or walking. Make it enjoyable by hopping on one foot, crawling on all fours, or otherwise.
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Squats and Lunges
Leg strength is vital for all sports and fitness activities. Do squats in all directions, including forward and backward, and side-to-side. Then, time how often your child can execute the exercise correctly in 30-second intervals.
In line with the feet, knees should be kept straight and have the youngsters bounce between sets.
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Sit-Ups and Push-Ups
These exercises work the core. Children can execute traditional abdominal crunches, bicycle crunches, and leg-up sit-ups. There are also numerous ways to perform a sit-up exercise.
Upper and core muscles can be built by teaching children push-ups and planks. When completing traditional push-ups, maintain your knees on the ground.
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Yoga and stretches
Yoga poses are a fun and easy way for kids to exercise. Child’s Pose, Cobra, Downward-Facing Dog, and Happy Baby Pose are all important and fun positions for youngsters.
Following your workout, stretch your muscles to keep them strong and flexible. Injuries can be avoided by stretching and cooling down after a workout. You may also stretch your arms up in the air and do a runner’s stretch. Brisk walking and jogging are also popular and effective forms of exercise. Outdoor exercise should be done in the early mornings or evenings. All in all, make sure to enjoy your routine with your kids. Remember, exercise should be encouraged, not forced, and when done right, it improves the bonding within a family.
