Guest Post: 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active

Encourage your kids to be physically active today!

Today’s guest post comes to us from Lisa Griffin from SameDayPapers.com, and she writes on the topic of 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active. With today’s ease of access to technology, iPads, Kindles and other tablets, it is easy for us as parents to hand them to our child and let them entertain themselves while we prepare dinner or just while we are relaxing and winding down from the day. However, too much time on those sorts of devices or too much time indoors, for that matter, are not a good thing. In this article, Lisa offers up some great ways to introduce your child to physical activities that they will come to enjoy throughout their lifetimes. In fact, my kids are often on their devices too much right now and this article couldn’t have come at a better time for me and my family.

Thank you for the great guest post article, Lisa.

Enjoy.
– Will

8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active

If you want your child to develop healthily, physical activity is necessary. Like other useful habits, the habit of working out is best formed from early childhood. We offer you eight ideas on how to motivate kids to exercise and spend more time outdoors. These recommendations are suitable for kids from three years-old to adulthood.

1. Limit the use of devices

First in our list of 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active is limiting time on devices. Even if your kid really likes to spend time watching the cartoons, playing phone or video games, this pastime should be limited. For example, you can set the time that they are allowed to spend in front of the screen, and the time when they should do something else, for example, take a walk in the fresh air.

2. Take time for active rest

Today, many children are overwhelmed with various tasks: homework, extracurricular activities, English lessons. Because of all these extra-duties, it’s easy to forget how important physical activity is. Therefore, allocate at least one hour a day and devote this time for the child’s stroll, run or play in the fresh air. On weekends, you can spend more time on physical training.

3. Buy toys for outdoor activities

Next in our list of 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active is when buying toys, think of outdoor play when selecting your toys to purchase. If your mind is occupied with how to encourage children to exercise, try to buy your child not only toys that can be played at home, but also those that are designed for activity in the fresh air. On the one hand, the child would be interested in trying a new toy, and on the other, it would be an extra reason to spend more time outside. It is important for the kid that the parents spend time with him or her. Walk in the evenings. In the warmer seasons and on weekends, spend more time in the fresh air. Play football or volleyball together. You will show the child a good personal example, and secondly, you’ll spend more time with him or her. By the way, if your kid does not succeed, your support will be useful and encouraging for him or her.

4. Domestic help is also physical exercise

If the kid wants to help you clean the house, let him or her do it. Of course, not all tasks can be assigned to a small assistant. At the same time, cleaning is also one of many physical activities for kids at home. Cleaning the house or helping out in the garden, or even washing dishes is something that little assistants do well. In addition, in this way, from an early age, you can introduce your child to domestic duties that are essential to daily life and is one of our 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active. Not all activities need to have play at the center of the activity, but cleaning the house can have playful elements as a part of it. For instance, a race to see who can sweep or dust the fastest can always be fun.

5. Praise the child

And, do it not only for the result but for trying. Even if your kid does not do everything how it should be done, praise him or her. Even if, helping around the house, the helper has littered more, than cleaned – praise him or her. If you are willing to get any proactive behavior from the kid (in sports or help in the garden), praise him for any action and their initiative to help as one of our 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active.

6. Plan an active vacation or weekend

Next among our 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active is getting outdoors as a family on weekends or during personal time off (PTO) for a family vacation. In Summer and other warm seasons, arrange excursions into nature. And if hiking with an overnight stay in the tent is not suitable for everyone, then travel by the whole family to the river or the forest is not difficult at all. Your child will rejuvenate to a greater degree outdoors than at home in front of the computer or iPad, and he will have more energy to play sports. Further, he or she will come to appreciate the outdoors and find a love for outdoor activities when the entire family takes part in these kinds of activities.

7. Find a fun activity

Next and an important part of our 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active list is to choose a sport that suits your youngster by age. Such that the kid can enjoy the activity. It can be swimming, team sports,gymnastics or even riding a bike. If necessary, consult a pediatrician – he or shee will help you choose what the child needs at their given age at that time as an age-appropriate activity. Although, it’s important in physical activity that is not be too much and overwhelming or too exerting and demanding on your child’s physical abilities. If your kid is tired and has absolutely no desire to take a walk, let him or her stay at home. If your kid does not participate in a team sport, it may be worthwhile to take a break for a while or choose another type of physical activity. After all, the health and well-being of your child are the most important.

8. Be a role model

Most of all, children take cues and learn from their parents and when developing healthy habits, it is no different. Therefore, if you are willing to motivate your kids to exercise and be physically active, be a personal example. If you do exercises every day, do not doubt that your child will do the same. If you walk a lot in the fresh air and get pleasure from it, keep staying healthy and do not doubt that your child will also love walks.

We hope you find this this list of 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active inspiring and adopt some of them for your own family. If you could add anything to this list, what would you add to our list of 8 ways to encourage your child to be physically active? Leave us a comment below.