Having your child engage in strength-based exercises can help improve her health and muscle mass and can encourage an active lifestyle. Exercises for kids include standard strength training, fun activities and social games that require physical activity. The key to choosing a kids exercise to build strength is to find a style that the child enjoys, that is age appropriate and that she finds slightly challenging.
Play Time as Exercise
Recreational activities and games are sources of exercise for kids to gain strength. Activities that require your kid to use multiple muscles while exerting effort will help him to gain muscular strength. Try using the playground or park as a source of exercise. Fitness and Mind recommends the monkey bars and tug of war as exercises for children to gain strength. Both of these activities are not only fun but they will build upper-body muscles in the arms, shoulders, back and chest. Invite your family, friends or neighbors to get involved in a big tug of war tournament.
Allow the child to use his bicycle, rollerblades and roller-skates to build lower-body muscles. Look for a paved area that your child can ride on for 20 to 45 minutes at a time. Monitor how the child is doing to avoid overexertion.
Kids Health recommends activities such as wrestling, floor gymnastics and climbing. Look for jungle gyms at the local park that have safe climbing structures and rock climbing walls for kids. These activities engage the entire body.
Sports
Team and individual sports benefit a kid's cardiovascular health while challenging her muscles. When kids muscles are challenged, much like adults, their muscles will grow to overcome the presented challenge. Try sports such as basketball, kickball, dodge ball, football and running. If the child is too young to understand rules for a particular sport allow, her to throw and catch a ball or chase after you to engage in running.
Weight Training
Weight training is commonly thought of as an activity for adults. Weight training can be used with kids who understand instructions and can be supervised during this form of exercise. According to ACE Fitness, until the age of 11 to 14, most kids will not understand the health benefits of weight training. To keep the child interested in weight training, the activity should be fun and engaging. Try using exercise balls, colorful exercise mats and resistance bands. Choose one activity for each major muscle group (arms, back, chest, legs, shoulders and abs) and have your child complete five to 10 repetitions for each.
Turn circuit training into a race. Try activities such as push-ups, jumping jacks, sit-ups, squats, lunges, pull-ups and chin-ups. Set up stations in your yard, living room or open area that the child must complete. At each station place a note card with the exercise and number of repetitions (try 10 to 15 repetitions) for the child to complete. Encourage your child to finish as fast as she can, challenge her to beat her previous circuit times and work to complete three sets of the circuit.
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