Kids need exercise on a regular basis. The National Institutes of Health recommends at least 60 minutes of physical activity for children on a daily basis. Many kids exercise without even knowing it by doing regular activities like playing outside, walking to school and doing extracurricular activities, like dance class or soccer practice. It's easy to find fun exercises that your kids will love to do.
Sports
Solo sports and team sports are fun forms of exercise for children. Sports also teach valuable lessons like team work and sportsmanship. Sports that involve a lot of running like soccer, basketball, football, and track and field provide a cardiovascular workout. Sports, such as gymnastics, karate and dancing, help improve flexibility. In addition to keeping kids physically fit, sports help children learn how to concentrate and work toward a goal.
Games
"Parenting" magazine recommends playing games with your kids to add exercise to their day. Active games, like jump rope and tag, provide entertainment and exercise. You can also play with toys like balls and scarves. Kids love to bounce, throw and chase balls. Children also love dancing with scarves or throwing them up in the air and running around to catch them. Draw a hopscotch board on the sidewalk with some chalk and teach your kids how to play hopscotch. You can also hide an object in the yard and give your child a time limit for finding it.
Dance
Most kids love twisting and turning to funky music. Blast the radio and dance with your child. Dance is a popular and effective aerobic exercise. It helps burn calories, improves coordination and raises self-esteem. KidsHealth also recommends ballet as a form of exercise to improve flexibility. Invite your child's friends to your house for a dance party. If you aren't able to dance with your child, register her for a dance class at a local dance studio or community center.
Walk
Set aside a time each day to take a family walk. This is a great opportunity for family bonding and will help every family member get in shape. MayoClinic.com lists lower bad cholesterol levels, better moods and weight management as benefits of daily walks. Walking as a family also sets a positive example for children and will help establish lifetime physical fitness habits. To add variety to your daily walks, change your course or hop on roller blades or bicycles occasionally.
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