Regular physical activity is an important part of overall health, especially for growing children. Being active not only improves a child's physical health, it also offers cognitive and emotional benefits such as improving attention span and mental well-being.
4 ways to increase physical activity at home
1. Set a goal
Talk to your child about the benefits of physical activity and get their input on a goal they'd like to reach. Achieving small, incremental goals can help motivate a child to get moving and lead to long-term healthy habits.
2. Get creative
To keep exercise fun for children, variety is key. Ask your child which activities they like the most, so physical activity is something they enjoy. Mix it up from day to day, whether walking, bike riding, dancing, interval running, yoga, playing outside, body weight exercises or more. Rotate which family member chooses an activity for the day, or write different exercises on sheets of paper and draw them out of a bucket for a surprise.
3. Turn to online resources
While screen time can often feel like a barrier to physical activity, it can actually be one of the best tools for finding a wide variety of physical activities to do at home.
4. Make exercise a family priority
If you truly want to inspire your child to get moving, the best way to do it is to set an example yourself.The biggest factor that can impact if kids are going to be healthy and active is what their family is doing. Choose to be active with your kids as much as possible, rather than expecting them to do it on their own.
Take a family walk or bike ride, kick a ball outside or join your child for a video-led yoga or workout session. When your child sets a goal, set your own goal as well to model healthy choices. Being active together is not only good for your family's health, but also offers valuable time to bond.
Indoor exercises for kids
The outdoors gives children plenty of space to explore and play and offers many easy ways to be active. However, when you are stuck inside with children, it can be a challenge to find options that help expend their energy. Here are some ideas for indoor exercises for kids:
Stream kid-friendly workout videos online
Body weight exercises like push-ups, planks, squats or mountain climbers
Yoga
Jumping jacks
Dancing to music
Balancing on one foot
Follow the leader (take turns picking movements)
Hopscotch (place tape on the floor)
Fill up a balloon and don't let it touch the ground
Crab walk or bear crawl races
Jump rope
You can always set up a circuit in your living room with different stations for variety.
No comments:
Post a Comment