10 Ways to Keep Your Kids Moving
Children should get at least 60 minutes of moderate exercise everyday. The sedentary nature of modern playtime, however, with TV, video games and the computer, offers little physical activity. Here are 10 ways to sneak more exercise into your children's routines.
1. Find your child's sport. When it comes to organized sports and activities, kids have a huge number of choices, but finding the one that's right for your child essential. Stick with just one organized sport each season and let your child try new activities from year to year.
2. Target a passion. If your child is artistic, take a nature hike to collect flowers for collage. An Avid reader will enjoy a stroll to the library, and climber will love a trip to a neighborhood jungle gym.
3. Join the backyard fun. Nothing makes a lawn game more vigorous than mom and dad joining in.
4. Relay on foot power. See how many errands you and your child can accomplish on foot, scooter, in-line skates or bike.
5. Plan family outings that involve physical activity. Take a trip to the zoo; enter a 5k fun walk-run; or go hiking, biking, snorkeling, in-line skates or bike.
6. Stock your car. Keep a bag of toys -a playground ball, jump rope, Frisbee or football - in the car for spontaneous pick-up games.
7. Set up a home obstacle course. Let your child design an intricate obstacle course in the backyard and time each family member as he or she races to complete it.
8. Hop like a bunny. Ask your toddler or preschooler to think of his or her favorite animals and then hop like a bunny, soar like an eagle or walk like a crab.
9. Play "Ultimate Hopscotch." Use sidewalk chalk to create an elaborate hopscotch trail. Cover the entire driveway or let it snake around the house of block.
10. Make chores fun. Who can pull the most weeds from the garden, pick up the most trash or rake the biggest pile of leaves? Charge your child with washing the car and walking the dog.
From, "True.Care," Goshen Hospital.