With all the sedentary activities like watching television and playing video games available, getting your kids to exercise may seem challenging. If you want to increase your child’s fitness level, capitalize on activities that your child is interested in to get him moving. When you do, exercise becomes part of play and is easy to incorporate into his daily routine.
Outdoor Play
Playing tag, having races and relay games and taking part in other running games are fun outdoor play activities that children normally enjoy and that can double as exercise. Playing hopscotch or creating a backyard obstacle course that requires children to climb over, crawl through and go under objects are other activities that children tend to enjoy. Backyard pick-up games of soccer, kickball or baseball can also serve as fun exercise activities for children who like team sports. If your child isn’t into team sports, hosting a backyard Olympics where children in the neighborhood can compete for prizes may appeal to her. Individual events can include short runs and push-up and sit-up contests.
Indoor Activities
Dancing to various types of music and playing Freeze Dance can be a fun exercise for children who enjoy taking part in music and movement activities. For older children, playing volleyball with a balloon can be a fun way to exercise indoors. If your child normally plays video games, replacing sedentary games with games that require physical movement like bowling, basketball or baseball can increase his activity level and promote exercise. Fast-paced games that require children to listen to instructions and complete physical movements can also be used as exercise activities.
Structured Exercise Activities
If you are looking for a more structured way to add exercise into your child’s routine, consider signing her up for a fitness class. Dance classes, gymnastics classes, swim classes, skating classes, martial arts classes and music and movement classes encourage children to stay active and exercise. If you can find a class that requires physical activity and suits your child’s interest, it’s likely to be fun for him. For older children and adolescents, taking age-appropriate classes at the local gym or playing on a school sports team may be fun.
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