There has been plenty of media attention given to the childhood obesity epidemic and the effect video games and the Internet have had on decreasing physical activity. And this trend is beginning earlier, according to a 2004 study by the University of South Carolina-Columbia, which concluded that preschoolers average just 7.7 minutes of physical activity per hour, and lessened in older groups. There are different options for getting your child into aerobic exercise.
Running/Jogging
Running and jogging are top choices for aerobic activity because they require no equipment and can be done virtually anywhere. The catch with kids, though, is that they may find running up and down the street or on a track boring. If that's the case, you might try to add incentives, such as jogging as a family.
Swimming and Water Aerobics
Most kids love going to the pool, so this one might not require any rewards or pleading. It's not limited to swimming; water aerobics have become an alternative to land-based aerobics because they don't put the same level of stress and strain on joints.
Playing with a Dog
A household dog is good for more than sloppy kisses and fetching the newspaper. Kids can get valuable aerobic exercise by playing outdoors with their dogs. In a 2010 study at St. George's University of London, published in the American Journal of Public Health, children with dogs averaged 11 more minutes of exercise daily than peers whose families didn't own dogs.
Biking
Getting your child a bicycle is another way to get her a daily dose of aerobic exercise. Bicycles are a "sneaky exercise" in that children enjoy it and often won't notice they're exercising at all. Provide a helmet and teach proper riding techniques.
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