Physical Activity in Children
Tips to Help Parents Encourage Exercise in Children
Exercise is an important part of overall health. This article offers practical tips that parents can use to increase their children's physical activity.
Exercise promotes the development of muscles, strong lungs, and a healthy heart. Physical activity can aid in weight management, and it can prevent certain diseases that can result from being obese. Physical fitness is not just important for adults but for children as well.
"Our children are on a fast track to becoming unhealthy adults. It is evident that parents must bear the brunt of the responsibility to correct the situation," says Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper in his book Fit Kids, published by Broadman & Holman. If you are serious about increasing the levels of physical activity in your children, try these helpful tips.
Take Your Children Outdoors for After Dinner Exercise
Instead of flipping on the television after dinner, why not gather the entire family and go for a bike ride or a brief walk around the neighborhood. Your children may be resistant at first but in the end, they will feel more refreshed and energized.
Encourage Noncompetitive Family Sports
Playing noncompetitive sports is a great way for kids to have fun while they are exercising. Jump-rope, kick-ball, frisbee, tag, and hide-and-seek are all ways to implement more physical activity into your child’s life.
Exercise Indoors
Bad weather is no excuse for your children to sit in front of the television. There are a number of indoor activities that they can do to get their bodies moving. You can put on some of your favorite music and get grooving or you can pop in some of your favorite exercise videos. It doesn’t matter how your kids move, as long as they’re not sitting on the couch like lumps.
Limit Your Child’s Sedentary Activities
Letting your children spend too much time on the computer, playing video games, and watching television is not good for them. Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper says that "children between the ages of 2 and 5 appear to watch the most TV - an average of nearly 28 hours each week!" Anything that allows kids to remain sedentary for extended periods of time is not going to benefit their long term health.
Walk Your Children to School Periodically
If you only live a short distance away from your children’s school, try walking them at least twice a week. Walking will help children metobolize food and maximize their endurance levels.
Model the Importance Being Physically Active
As a parent, it is important that you set an example for your children. You can’t expect them to take their physical health seriously if you’re sitting on the couch all day playing video games, and overindulging in your favorite sweet treat. Remember that you are the biggest influence in your child’s life, so lead by example.
Making small changes in your child’s level of physical activity can set the foundation for future health.
For more information on the importance of physical Activity in children read Fit Kids by Kenneth H. Cooper
