With childhood obesity an ever-increasing problem in today's world, focusing on the nutrition and physical fitness needs of kids has never been more important. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity has more than tripled since 1980. Understanding how much and what kinds of exercise kids need on a regular basis will help your child avoid becoming just another statistic.
Aerobic Exercise
Kids should get at least 60 minutes of aerobic exercise each day. Aerobic -- or cardiovascular -- exercise gets the heart beating at an elevated rate. Aerobic activities should result in your child breathing a little heavier than normal. Carry on a conversation with your child. If he has difficulty doing so without stopping to catch his breath, you know he's getting in a quality workout.
Strengthening Exercises
Kids don't need to take up a bodybuilding routine, but strengthening exercises are still important for their health. Building strong muscles is essential to help turn their bodies into fat-burning machines. Incorporate simple strengthening exercises like pushups, situps and other exercises into their routine at least three days per week, according to the CDC. Games and simple play activities are an effective way to incorporate muscle strengthening into your child's routine. Tug-of-war, climbing ropes and trees, and climbing up and down playground equipment are all ways kids can strengthen their muscles doing things kids love to do.
Bone Strengthening
Kids' bones are in a constant state of growth and change, and need exercise to facilitate these changes. Certain exercises encourage bone strength and should be incorporated into your child's exercise routine at least three days per week. Games like hopscotch; activities like running, jumping, skipping rope; and sports like basketball, volleyball or gymnastics are all examples of bone-strengthening activities kids can do while they have fun.
Exercise Tips for Kids
It's easy to identify things kids can do for exercise. Sometimes it's a whole different story getting them to actually do them. Set strict limits on the amount of time your kids spend in sedentary activities, such as watching television or playing computer games. Communicate these limits clearly with your kids. Create an established routine for getting your kids out of the house to exercise. For example, instead of the classic routine of turning on the TV after dinner, get everyone out of the house and down to the park with a soccer ball. As you set the example, your children will follow.
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