Introduction
Getting regular physical activity is vitally important for the health, growth, and development of children. Unfortunately, many kids today lead increasingly sedentary lifestyles, spending lots of time on screens or in structured indoor activities. This puts them at risk for obesity, poor fitness, decreased bone strength, and developmental delays.
It’s recommended that children get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day. This doesn’t have to happen all at once – it can be spread throughout the day. The activities should engage a variety of muscles and get the heart pumping. Ideally, kids should participate in aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and bone-strengthening physical activities.
The good news is that there are many fun, engaging ways to keep kids active! Physical activity doesn’t have to mean boring calisthenics or strict exercise routines. With a little creativity, you can find activities that your kids will enjoy and look forward to. The rest of this article will provide fun and practical suggestions for getting your kids moving more every day.
Everyday Activities
Getting kids active doesn't require elaborate planning or expensive equipment. Simple everyday activities can get their bodies moving and prevent sedentary behavior.
Household chores - Have kids help out with chores like sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, dusting, wiping down surfaces, taking out trash, folding laundry, and putting away dishes. Make it fun by turning on music and turning chores into a dance party.
Walk or bike to places - Walk with your kids to school, the park, a friend's house or other close destinations. Let older kids bike responsibly with supervision. Enjoy the extra time together while getting exercise.
Playground time - Make going to the playground a daily habit rather than just a weekend activity. Set aside 30-60 minutes for your kids to run, climb, slide, swing, and play imaginatively with other children. Parks and school playgrounds offer free active play.
Backyard Games
The backyard is a perfect place for active games and play. When the weather is nice, send the kids outside to run around and get their energy out with classic outdoor activities.
Tag is a simple yet fun backyard game that gets kids running and dodging. Just designate a person who is "It" to start chasing others to tag them. The tagged person then becomes "It" and the game continues. Play Freeze Tag where tagged players freeze in place until freed by another player.
Hopscotch is another classic game that promotes coordination and agility. Use chalk to draw a hopscotch board and numbering system. Players toss a marker into the squares and hop through the course on one or two feet. Adapt the course with more squares or triangles to increase the challenge.
Jump rope is great exercise that builds cardiovascular fitness. Provide a variety of ropes to match kids' sizes and skills. You can play solo or with two people turning opposite ends of the rope. See who can jump the longest without missing! Or play games like "Hot Pepper" with two ropes and partners taking turns jumping in sync.
The backyard is an ideal play setting to let imaginations run wild. Set up activities and obstacles to climb over, jump on, bounce off, and crawl through. Rotating through these active backyard games keeps kids delighted while staying fit.
Sports
Getting kids involved in sports is a great way to keep them active and healthy. Team sports like soccer, basketball, and tennis promote coordination, teamwork, endurance and good sportsmanship. Individual sports like swimming, martial arts, and gymnastics help build self-confidence, discipline and determination.
Soccer is a fast-paced team sport that gets kids running and kicking. It builds endurance, speed and agility. Kids learn the values of teamwork and communication as they strategize with teammates to move the ball down the field and score goals. Soccer can be played informally with just a ball or more formally on a team with coaches.
Basketball develops hand-eye coordination as kids learn to dribble, pass, and shoot the ball into the hoop. Playing games of HORSE and practicing free throws improves skill. Basketball teaches the importance of collaboration as teammates work together strategizing ball movement to get open shots. The sport enhances fitness by building speed, agility and cardiovascular endurance.
Tennis is a lifelong sport that helps eye-hand coordination and fitness. Kids learn forehand and backhand swings to hit the ball over the net. Tennis encourages quick thinking to place shots strategically. Kids burn calories and build strength swinging the racquet and running to hit balls. The competitive nature of tennis builds mental focus.
Swimming is a full-body workout that builds muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance. Knowing different strokes like freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke enhances coordination. Swimming increases lung capacity and improves flexibility. Most importantly, it teaches an essential safety skill. Swim lessons instill confidence and aquatic skills.
Martial arts like karate and tae kwon do improve strength, balance and focus. Kids learn self-defense techniques and gain self-confidence. Discipline is developed through practicing moves, memorizing forms, and earning belts. Martial arts teach valuable life skills like self-control, integrity and perseverance.
Dance
Dancing is a great way for kids to stay active while expressing themselves and being creative. From ballet to hip hop, there are many fun types of dance kids can enjoy:
Ballet - This graceful dance style teaches balance, coordination and flexibility through its emphasis on proper positioning and technique. Many schools and studios offer ballet classes for kids starting as young as 3 or 4 years old.
Hip Hop - Hip hop dance is energetic and helps kids build confidence and rhythm. Classes are set to age-appropriate music and focus on learning cool moves and choreography.
Zumba - Zumba is a dance fitness program that incorporates Latin and international music to burn calories and get the heart pumping. Kids Zumba classes adapt the routines to be age-appropriate and super fun.
Jazz - Jazz dance is an energetic style often seen on stage and screen. Classes focus on building flexibility and developing performance skills through free-flowing interpreted movement.
Tap - Tap dance builds coordination through rhythms made with the feet. Classes allow kids to make music with their feet while expending energy.
Cultural Dance - Whether it's Irish, African, Chinese or other styles, cultural dances expose kids to other traditions while being active and having fun.
The benefits of dance for kids are widespread - from developing physical skills to boosting creativity, self-confidence and cultural awareness. Let your child explore different dance styles to find one they are passionate about. Watching them light up while dancing is sure to brighten your day!
Playground Fun
The playground offers a variety of opportunities for children to stay physically active while also developing motor skills, balance, and coordination. Make the most of playground time with these tips:
Take walks together around the playground equipment - climbing, crawling, and walking on different surfaces helps develop motor skills.
Encourage imaginative play like pretending the playground structure is a pirate ship or castle - this engages different muscles as they act out scenes.
Play hide and seek or tag - these classic playground games get kids running and burning energy.
Go down slides together - sliding engages core muscles. See who can go down in creative ways like sitting backwards.
Do the monkey bars - swinging from rung to rung builds upper body and grip strength.
Bring sidewalk chalk and draw mazes, targets or games on the ground - hopscotch is a classic. The jumping and balancing is great exercise.
Time how long it takes to complete challenges like crossing the monkey bars or climbing up the rock wall. Trying to beat their time gives motivation.
The playground is such a valuable resource for active play if you engage your child's imagination and give some structure to the games. It's a place where they can improve physical skills, gain confidence and have fun!
Indoor Activities
Kids can get their energy out even when stuck inside on a rainy day. Set up an indoor obstacle course using furniture, pillows, blankets, and toys. Let them jump from couch to chair, crawl under a blanket tunnel, and weave through a maze of pillows. Make a treasure map and hide clues leading to a special prize, then send them hunting through the house for it. Clear space for them to have a dance party in the living room. Play freeze dance and have them stop moving when the music stops. Pull out musical instruments like drums, maracas and tambourines for them to have a mini concert. Get out balls, frisbees, or balloons approved for indoor play and let them run around tossing and catching. Building blanket and pillow forts encourages creativity and movement. Set up craft stations around the house and have kids run back and forth to get supplies. Scavenger hunts focused on finding household items or performing challenges keeps kids running from room to room. And don't forget classic games like Red Light Green Light and Simon Says to get the blood pumping. With a little creativity, there are lots of ways to engage active kids even when stuck indoors.
Family Activities
Get the whole family moving together with activities like hiking, biking, camping trips, canoeing, and more. Spending active time together outdoors has multiple benefits beyond physical activity.
Go on nature hikes. Find local trails and parks to explore. Make it fun by going on a hike in search of animals, plants, waterfalls, or other points of interest. Bring along a nature guidebook and get the kids engaged in identifying species.
Take family bike rides. ride together around the neighborhood or on bike paths. Kids will enjoy coasting their bikes with the wind in their hair. Let them set the pace and route for more ownership. For longer rides, consider getting a bike trailer to tow younger kids.
Plan active camping trips. Camping provides built-in activity through setting up camp, playing outdoor games, going on hikes, swimming, and exploring nature. Cookout meals together and tell stories around the campfire. Opt for tent cabins to make it comfier for kids.
Have a family picnic. Pack a tasty picnic lunch and eat outside at a park. Bring balls, frisbees, bubbles, jump ropes and other toys to play with afterward. Take a walk around the park to get the wiggles out.
Go canoeing or kayaking. Paddle together across a calm lake or slow river. Kids can take turns helping paddle or just trailing their hands in the water. Stop to swim at beaches along the way. Pack a picnic to enjoy on a sandbar or riverbank.
Getting the whole family active together creates wonderful bonding experiences and memories. It teaches kids to appreciate nature and enjoy healthy active lifestyles.
Motivation
Getting kids active sometimes requires creativity and incentives. Here are some ideas for motivating kids to participate in physical activities:
Reward systems - Set up a reward chart where kids earn points or stickers for being active. Let them cash in points for prizes like a special outing or treat. Praise and recognition from parents is also powerful positive reinforcement.
Lead by example - Children are more likely to be active when parents model an active lifestyle. Make exercise a family habit by going on walks together, playing backyard games as a group, or signing up for a fun run. Kids will feed off your energy and enthusiasm.
Make it fun - Incorporate their interests into activities so they feel intrinsically motivated. Let them pick the music playlist for family dance parties or choose which sports to play outside. Silly games like freeze dance or follow the leader tap into their playful nature. Focus on laughter and quality time together.
Conclusion
Keeping kids active and engaged in physical play is vital for their health and development. As discussed, there are many fun ways to encourage activity in everyday life, through backyard games, sports, dance, playground time, and indoor play.
The benefits of an active lifestyle for children are numerous. Regular exercise builds healthy bodies and minds, strengthens growing bones and muscles, develops motor skills and coordination, boosts confidence and self-esteem, reduces stress and anxiety, improves sleep quality, and lays the foundation for an active adulthood.
Most importantly, being active should be fun for kids. Finding activities they genuinely enjoy will keep them engaged. Letting kids take the lead in choosing activities gives them a sense of autonomy. Supporting their interests shows them you value their preferences. Adapting activities to different skill levels prevents frustration. Praising their efforts encourages a growth mindset.
Childhood is the perfect time to positively shape attitudes around exercise and instill healthy habits. Incorporating physical activity into daily routines demonstrates it is an essential part of life. Leading an active lifestyle together as a family is beneficial for kids and parents alike. Discovering new fun ways to stay active is a lifelong journey. The memories made will last long after the activities themselves.
