|  When kids dream of summer, they dream of school ending...of staying up late...and of sleeping in. But they also dream of spending entire afternoons playing video games or watching television.
In fact, on average, children spend nearly 3 hours out of every day watching TV. An even more alarming statistic is that only half of kids between ages 12 and 21 exercise regularly.
Now that the regular exercise of gym class has been removed from your child's schedule, it's even more important that you incorporate exercise at home. And summer is the ideal time to start an exercise routine that the whole family can enjoy and take part in. That's because regular exercise can help kids:
- Control weight and body fat
- Build healthy bones, muscles and joints
- Reduce the risk of high-blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease later in life
- Fall asleep quickly and sleep better
- Reduce anxiety, tension and pessimism
- Increase confidence and self-esteem
- Gain a better handle on the emotional and physical challenges in life
- Foster teamwork, leadership and friendships
10 Ideas You Can Do Today
1. Swim. Water naturally goes with the summer months. After all, summer is hot, and the water is cool. But instead of splashing around, encourage children to race one another or to try to beat their own time. You can even form a neighborhood swim club - so children will be engaged with their friends, while parents take turns car-pooling.
2. Walk or jog. Yep, it's that simple. Walk the dog with your children every morning. Jog with them every evening. Walk or run with them in a charity event. The point is to get children involved in regularly moving their bodies.
3. Play soccer. Talk about improving endurance! Soccer is a great way to help children build friendships, learn teamwork, increase confidence and just plain have fun during summer. And, it's inexpensive--all you need is a patch of grass and a ball.
4. Bike. Kids love to bike. So why not encourage it? Parents can get children out and exercising by biking for fun or even biking to the store. In addition to exercise, children can learn safety lessons and the rules of the road. Not to mention that it's a great way for parents and children to spend dedicated time talking and laughing.
5. Shoot hoops. Basketball is another inexpensive sport that provides children with the opportunity to work on endurance, teamwork and friendships. Chances are there's a park near you with some hoops that you can easily drive to...or better yet, bike or walk to...a few times a week. Parents can get involved in a full-court competition with the neighborhood kids or just a fun one-on-one game of HORSE.
6. Mow the yard. If you have older children or pre-teens, you can teach them responsibility while encouraging exercise by hiring them to mow the yard every week during the summer.
7. Just dance. It doesn't matter what kind of music or dancing style you're into, moving your body is great exercise...and it's fun! Parents and kids can even dance together to teach each other their favorite moves and share their favorite songs. It's a great way to bond with children while staying healthy and fit.
8. Jump rope. It's easy to do, inexpensive, fun and a great workout. Better still, children can jump rope by themselves or in groups. And it's a great way to improve stamina and coordination.
9. Skate. Inline skating is fun for children and adults alike. Make sure you wear the proper safety equipment and model safe practices near roads. Of course, if you're looking to cool off this summer, you can look for indoor skating rinks in your area. Ice-skating, figure skating and hockey camps are actually more popular during the summer than most people think.
10. Make an obstacle course. Obstacle courses are a great way to work every aspect of physical fitness. You can add climbing obstacles, incorporate running or jumping roping, and even include stages where children have to reach for items or touch their toes a certain number of times before proceeding to the next stage. And the best part is, you can switch the course up to keep children from getting bored or to include children of different ages and capabilities. So gather up some items from around the house and get your children's creative minds working on an obstacle course in your yard.
Don't forget to keep it fun to encourage consistency! And remember to model physical fitness for your children. Studies show that children are more likely to be physically active if they see their parents and role models engage in regular physical exercise.
Have a safe, healthy and fun summer! |
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