You can lead a kid to the park, but you can't make him run. That's the challenge for parents across America. To stay healthy, kids should get at least an hour of aerobic exercise per day --- with running or similar high-intensity activities at least three times a week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend. Running games provide your child with a fun way to get the exercise he needs.
Running
When a kid runs, she work muscles throughout her body, from the thigh muscles to lower back muscles. As she works harder, her heart pumps faster to deliver more oxygenated blood to her muscles. All of these processes burn more calories --- the energy kids get from food that the body can store as fat if not burned off. All of this exercise helps to strengthen a kid's heart, circulation system and muscles. It also prevents the buildup of excess fat.
Running Games
Running games encourage children to get more exercise. Asking a kid to simply run doesn't capture his imagination or make him think of running as a fun activity. However, incorporating running as part of a game greatly improves the odds kids will participate. Treating running as a serious sport for young children has potentially negative effects, author and running expert Hal Higdon explains. Training too hard and pushing children to win races can risk injury or psychological problems. However, by disguising exercise like running as a game, it eliminates the need for serious training.
Health Benefits
The American Heart Association points out that inactive kids usually grow to become inactive adults. Low levels of physical activity could set your child up for future health problems, including obesity and heart disease. The AHA also lists several key health benefits kids can get from physical exercise such as running. Running games help control weight and reduce the risk of developing diabetes; running also helps kids develop stronger bones. Further, running releases mood-enhancing chemicals in the body known as endorphins, boosting your kid's overall happiness.
Socializing
Better physical health directly translates to a healthier sense of self-confidence, self-esteem and general mental health. Games also bring people together --- whether you organize running games with the family, including parents and siblings, or let your child play games with friends at school. Kids who play running games may learn cooperation skills, self-reliance, social skills and simply how to interact with a group of peers. As fitness increases with regular running, your child's confidence and ability may improve in other sports, from soccer to basketball.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; How Much Physical Activity Do Children Need?; Feb. 16, 2011
- Hal Higdon; Is Running Good for Children?; Hal Higdon; 2002
- Clemson Cooperative Extension; Physical Activity for Children; J. G. Hunter and K. L. Cason; April 2006
- American Heart Association; Physical Activity and Children; Feb. 11, 2011
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