| As parents you do have the power to give your | | | | allowed 'screen time' each day. When children are |
| children a lifelong appreciation for activities that | | | | bored they find things to do. |
| strengthen their bodies and minds. | | | | #3 Promote Activity, not Exercise |
| Children are more sedentary than ever, watching | | | | Of course sports and other organized activities |
| television and playing video games instead of | | | | are a great way to keep your kid moving |
| biking to the playground or playing kickball in the | | | | however, kids don't have to be in sports or take |
| backyard with their pals is a major cause. And | | | | dance classes to be active. Every kid is wired |
| even schools have stopped emphasizing fitness, in | | | | differently. We all have certain strengths and |
| some school districts, physical education has | | | | characteristics that permit us to do certain things |
| vanished completely because of under-funding. | | | | better than others. Many noncompetitive activities |
| Kids need regular exercise to build strong bones | | | | are available for a child who isn't interested in |
| and muscles. Exercise also helps children sleep well | | | | organized athletics. |
| at night and stay alert during the day. Such habits | | | | The key is to find things that your child likes to |
| established in childhood help adolescents maintain | | | | do. For instance, if your child is artistically inclined, |
| healthy weight despite the hormonal changes, | | | | go on a nature hike to collect leaves and rocks |
| rapid growth and social influences that often lead | | | | that your child can use to make a collage. If your |
| to overeating. And active children are more likely | | | | child likes to climb, head for the nearest |
| to become fit adults. | | | | neighborhood jungle gym or climbing wall. If your |
| Follow these tips to keep your kid active: | | | | child likes to read, then walk or bike to the |
| #1 Set a good example | | | | neighborhood library for a book. |
| If you want an active child, be active yourself. | | | | #4 Start Young |
| Take the stairs instead of the elevator and park | | | | Remember your energetic toddler? Direct that |
| the car farther away from stores. Never make | | | | energy into a lifelong love of physical activity. By |
| exercise seem like a punishment or a chore. Find | | | | incorporating physical activity into our children's |
| fun activities that the whole family can do | | | | lives at an early age, you are setting the |
| together, such as: | | | | foundation for good fitness habits in the years to |
| - Swimming | | | | come. For instance, have your child show you |
| - Nature hikes | | | | how bunnies hop, eagles fly or dogs wag their |
| - Bike riding | | | | tails. |
| - Canoeing | | | | Some other suggestions for keeping kids |
| - Walks with the family dog | | | | interested: |
| - Playing Tag | | | | - Play games your elementary school child loves, |
| - Dancing | | | | like tag, cops and robbers, Simon says and red |
| - Hopscotch | | | | light, green light. If you don't remember the rules |
| - Jump-rope | | | | for these games, make up your own or walk to |
| - Hide & Seek | | | | your local library and check out a book on games. |
| If mom and dad exercise, it's a very powerful | | | | - Let your toddlers and preschoolers see how |
| message for a child to exercise. In addition to | | | | much fun you can have while being active. Don't |
| getting active, exercising together gives you good | | | | just run with them. Run like a gorilla. Walk like a |
| family time. The goal is to get kids moving, | | | | spider. Hop like a bunny. Stretch like a cat. |
| whatever the activity. | | | | - Plan your family vacations around physical |
| #2 Limit 'Screen Time' | | | | activities - hiking, biking, skiing, snorkeling, |
| There are a lot of reasons why children are less | | | | swimming or camping. Take along a ball or Frisbee |
| active today, but the biggest culprit is the | | | | disc to sneak in some activity at rest stops. |
| television set, followed closely by video games | | | | - Make chores a family affair. Who can pull the |
| and computers, these activities encourage a | | | | most weeds out of the vegetable garden? Who |
| sedentary lifestyle by limiting movement for long | | | | can collect the most litter in the neighborhood? |
| periods of time. | | | | Have your kids help shovel the snow off the |
| Watching television is directly related to childhood | | | | driveway and use that excess snow to build a |
| obesity. Children who watch more than five hours | | | | huge snow fort. |
| of television a day are eight times more likely to | | | | - Vary the activities. Let each child take a turn |
| be obese than are children who watch less than | | | | choosing the activity of the day or week. Batting |
| two hours of television a day. | | | | cages, bowling and restaurant play areas all count. |
| A surefire way to increase your children's activity | | | | What counts is that you're doing something active |
| levels is to limit the number of hours they're | | | | as a family. |