The childhood obesity rate increased from 5 percent in 1980 to almost 13 percent in 2006. It's an alarming and sobering statistic when you consider that these obese children are setting up themselves for a life of health problems, low self-esteem and a sedentary lifestyle. Stop the cycle by making sure that your child gets the 30 minutes of daily exercise recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You can make fitness a game and part of their daily routines for a healthier future.
Endurance
Teach your child endurance by improving his heart and blood pressure and engaging him in games that include running and jumping. Your child should easily be able to sustain 30 minutes of play time and running with you or a group friends. Try a game of freeze tag, take him to a pool to swim and splash, play hide and seek, or take a soccer ball outside to kick for a half-hour. Engaging your child in these fun fitness activities takes the emphasis off of the actual activity, and puts it more on becoming engaged in the game. Improving your child's endurance strengthens his heart, and according to KidsHealth.org, improves blood cell function.
Strength
You might hear the word "strength" and automatically picture your kids lifting weights. But lifting dumbbells isn't the only way to increase strength; doing handstands, engaging in light rough housing and play-fighting, helping you with the groceries and climbing a tree can all help build strength. Of course, kids can only engage in as much strengthening activities as their age and skill level allows, but even a toddler can play a game of tug of war with you, using a favorite blanket. Play with your child and encourage her to test her strength often in order to increase it. More strength means more muscle, and subsequently a faster burning metabolism to keep weight in check.
Flexibility
Kids have an uncanny knack of contorting their bodies into all sorts of shapes, but when left to a sedentary lifestyle, that flexibility can fade. Keep them limber by offering gymnastics or a bouncing gym as a way to stretch and engage in different movements. They'll need supervision while doing in these types of activities, but you can watch as they tumble, jump and play. If you don't have equipment in your home, set up an obstacle course with pillows for him to roll, jump and cartwheel over. Flexibility helps your child use his body to the best of his ability, engaging in full ranges of motion for all of the muscle groups.
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