Kids need physical activity to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Not all kids are motivated to engage in physical activity on a daily basis. Sometimes a sedentary lifestyle can be hard to break out of. Kids of all ages benefit from regular exercise because it provides them with strong muscles, healthy bones, leaner body mass and more physical stamina. For some kids it can even help combat diabetes, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and ward off childhood obesity.
Organized Sports
Encouraging your child to engage in school or community-related sports not only helps promote physical activity but also teaches them teamwork and leadership skills. Sports are a versatile way for kids to get their daily dose of exercise. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that children should get up to 30 minutes of exercise daily. Joining a team sport such as football, baseball or basketball will allow them to get their daily exercise through practices, warm-ups and games. It will also teach them sportsmanship skills. Individual sports such as golf and track provide personal accomplishment and allow for rigorous daily exercise in order to train for competition.
Water Activities
Kids who engage in water activities can also get their dose of daily exercise. Water activities do not have to include just swimming; there are other fun ways to get kids to exercise. One way is to take advantage of all of the water sport items and toys available. Water basketball, volleyball and diving for underwater items are all fun games that kids can play. Water trampolines for ponds and lakes also encourage physical activity.
Bike Riding
One way to get kids and the entire family active is through bike riding. This is a great activity that can be done almost anywhere. For those who live in the city, some schools allow kids to bring their bikes to the property after hours for a safe place to ride. Transporting bikes to state parks or bike trails allows for challenging runs on various types of terrain.
Parks
Visiting a park offers a wealth of exercise options for kids. Starting with the playground area, the kids can use all of their motor skills to engage in playful activity. Monkey bars and climbing walls encourage upper body strength. Swing sets allow kids to stretch and bend their muscles while working the abdominals and legs. Hiking trails or the perimeter of the park also encourage physical activity.
Mini Field Day
Hosting a mini field day for a group of kids is the perfect way to get in some exercise. This is perfect for the middle of summer when kids may be home more frequently due to summer break. A mini field day consists of using numerous outdoor skill games so kids can compete for medals or small prizes. Examples of games that encourage physical activity may include a potato sack race, jump roping, obstacle course, limbo and a foot race.
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