Good Exercises for Kids

With 24-hour kids' channels and video games for entertainment, children may not be getting the exercise they need to be healthy and fit. According to the National Association for Sports and Physical Education, children ages 5 to 12 should be getting at least an hour of physical activity every day. Activity can be vigorous or moderate and can be broken into increments of 15 minutes. Get your child moving with kid-friendly exercises.

Playing

Kids love to play and they love when their parents get in on the fun. Try games from your childhood such as red light, green light, tag or catch. Go on a family outing that will get everyone active. Try camping, bowling, swimming or even a walk around the neighborhood. Pay attention to which activities your child enjoys the most so you can make a point of repeating them.

Yoga

According to the Yoga Journal website, yoga can help children enhance their flexibility, strength, coordination, body awareness, relaxation and sense of calmness. Hundreds of yoga poses exist, but some are especially beneficial for children. Kids will enjoy animal poses, including the gorilla, fish and butterfly poses. The tree pose and the airplane pose are good for balance. The light rest pose will help with focus and relaxation.

Organized Sports

Get your child involved in sports. A team sport such as soccer, basketball or softball can be fun and as a bonus your child will get exercise, too. Other options include a dance team or rock climbing club. According to the Nemours Foundation, a nonprofit group dedicated to improving children's health, physical activities like these can help kids learn to set goals and meet challenges as well as sportsmanship, teamwork and the value of practice.

Chores

The American Heart Association recommends giving your children age-appropriate household chores that require physical exertion. Keep in mind your child's strength, coordination and maturity. Make it fun for your child by paying attention to chores he might think are fun. Also, think about offering a reward.

Fitness Gifts

When purchasing gifts for birthdays, holidays and other occasions, think fitness. A large outdoor trampoline or indoor mini-trampoline is fun and beneficial. Other options include balls, roller skates, a bike, skateboard, hula hoop or jump rope.