Get your kids away from the video games and into the real world for a dose of daily exercise. Kids who exercise keep their weight under control, avoid health problems, develop strong muscles, strengthen their bones and have a more positive outlook. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least an hour of daily physical activity for kids.
Track Exercise
A tracking chart for your child's exercise offers a visual representation and might motivate her to move even more. Make a separate exercise chart or include a column on a responsibility chart she already uses. When she exercises, mark it on the chart for that day. You might use stickers, write the amount of time she exercised or let her draw a picture to represent the activity she did. While you want your child to get active every day, avoid punishments or forcing her to exercise. This gives her a bad impression of physical activity that could stick with her.
Make an Idea File
If your child runs out of ideas for staying active, create an exercise idea file for him. For older children, write a list of activities that get the heart pumping. For younger kids, include pictures or drawings to show the activities so they can flip through the file by themselves to choose an activity. Go beyond the usual aerobic activities to include things like dancing, exploring the backyard, setting up a bike course and doing an obstacle course. When your child is bored, hand him the file and let him pick a physical activity to do.
Challenge Friends and Family
Exercising alone gets boring for some kids. An exercise challenge between friends or family members makes exercise time more exciting. Create physical challenges that all participants perform. For example, you might have a free throw contest in the driveway, race around the block or see who can do the most toe touches in a minute. The activities don't need to be complicated or use special equipment. Use what you have to create the challenges. Let the kids think of their own challenges to make it more entertaining for them.
Keep Active Toys on Hand
Convenience plays a role in exercise for both kids and adults. A child who has easy access to lots of active toys and equipment is more likely to use them for physical activity. Keep an assortment of balls, jump ropes and bikes on hand to make exercise easier for your child. For holidays and birthdays, give your child gifts that encourage physical activity rather than things like video games that promote a sedentary lifestyle.
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