Regular exercise and physical activity is essential for promoting healthy growth in children. Helping kids stay fit is becoming harder to keep up with as life produces more and more comfy distractions like gaming consoles, social media and mobile devices. It seems that somewhere between entertainment and the busyness of life, the priority of fostering healthy growth through physical activity has taken somewhat of a backseat. Exercise is important for the development of youth, particularly in motor skills, bodily movement and social ability. So what can you start doing to encourage your children to get fitter? Here are some guidelines in helping kids stay fit:
Guidelines to increase fitness in children
Find a fun activity that is age appropriate
The types of outdoor activities that a child might enjoy (and indeed be capable of) will be determined by their age and ability. Do a little research on what children at various ages might find enjoyable. This is necessary for engaging their interest, as well as letting them partake in an activity that they are capable of doing.
Provide a safe area
Children and accidents go hand in hand. In the excitement of your activities, there is always the chance of injuries being sustained. It could dampen your child’s enthusiasm in the activity. This is especially true for activities where a number of children are participating, since keeping an eye on each one can be challenging. So be sure to set up a safe area free from any potential hazards before you get started in your goal to helping kids stay fit.
Make it interactive
Take yourself back to the days of school and try and remember which activities you enjoyed the most. Do you remember the boredom associated with mindlessly following instructions? Or does the excitement of an interactive activity stick out for you? The point is that you are to foster enjoyment of exercise. You need to make sure that each activity is interesting and interactive enough. This is to hold the attention of your children throughout the duration you have set aside for exercise.
Make time for exercise
Making time for exercise is essential for a number of reasons. Firstly, by setting regular times for exercise, you are instilling good habits in your children. This will help them remain active throughout their lives. Secondly, set times will help eliminate the temptation to come home after a long day and kick up your feet (which essentially makes one neglect to spending time being active with your children). Make a promise to both yourself and your child, and have them do it to. You are both obliged to keep the ball rolling, so let your child know that. The added responsibility will also peak their interest in the activities you have planned.
Guidelines from the Department of Health and Human Services say:
“Children and adolescents age 6 and older need at least an hour a day of physical activity. Most of the hour should be either moderate or vigorous aerobic activity. In addition, children should participate in muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activities at least three days a week. Many common school-age activities — such as playing on playground equipment and jumping rope — cover all the bases at once. Organized sports such as baseball or soccer are a great way to stay fit too.”
Don’t take it too far
It is very important to remember that both your children and you have your limitations when it comes to fitness. Overdoing it, and taking things too seriously will take the fun out of the exercise and turn it into work. Avoid putting children off doing something. Efforts to helping kids stay fit should not feel like hard work to them.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy for more information
If you are interested in becoming a child fitness trainer you can find out more information on an array of online and accredited children and exercise courses. Feel free to contact Trifocus Fitness Academy today, or visit our website for details.