Weight control is a challenge for many children in the United States. Lack of activity and high calorie diets are often to blame. Promoting a healthy physical fitness plan, however, can help your child maintain a healthy weight. Selecting activities that are fun will encourage your child to stick with exercise.
Fun Aerobic Activities
Your child needs at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If activity feels like a chore, she won't enjoy it. Playing soccer, volleyball or basketball are a few ways to meet the activity requirements, while making it fun. If your child isn't interested in organized sports, take a bike ride with her daily or walk the family dog. As long as she's moving, it counts towards the child's activity requirements.
Schedule Strength Training
Children need three sessions of strength training weekly. Select muscle-strengthening activities that are age appropriate. For example, a 6 year old won't necessarily lift weights. However, playing on the monkey bars at the park will strengthen his upper body. Gymnastics is another fun activity that builds stronger muscles. As he enters the adolescent years, a weight training program is more appropriate.
Keep your Child Motivated
Keep your child motivated by making physical activity a part of the family's life. She will feel more motivated if she isn't accomplishing her physical activity goals alone. Take your child to places where she can get active, like the community pool, basketball field or your local park. Activities don't have to be structured. An informal game of capture the flag or tag is fun.
Also, discourage your child from overloading on television. Kids shouldn't get more than two hours of viewing time a day, according to KidsHealth.org. If she views too much television, it interferes with her getting outdoors and staying active.
Fuel the Body
A physical activity program is a good start to a healthy lifestyle. Your child, however, needs healthy foods to fuel his body. MayoClinic.com recommends that children eat a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables and whole-grains. Protein, healthy fats and low-fat dairy are important, too. Daily serving requirements vary by age. Learn the number of servings required through the MayoClinic.com Healthy Pyramid Tool, located in the Resources section.
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