How To Incorporate More Physical Activity Into Your Child's Lifestyle
As a rule of thumb, you always lead by example when it comes to teaching your child how to be a productive person in society. While trying to instill core values is essential in your child becoming a successful adult, make sure you also teach him how to take care of himself through health and wellness. It's important for every child to be physically active and lead a healthy lifestyle. Here are a few ways that you can try to incorporate or increase the amount of physical activity your child gets on a daily basis.
Engage In Daily Physical Activity Together
According to the American Heart Association, it's recommended that kids get at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily. The best way to teach your child the importance of moving and staying active is to engage in physical activity together. There are several ways to go about it including:
- Playing a sport together such as baseball, basketball or soccer.
- Riding bikes down a safe trail.
- Hiking trails for short distances.
- Swimming together and playing water games.
- Having your child do chores such as leaf collection, weed pulling or window washing.
Staying physical, as opposed to sedentary, can help boost energy as well as brain power. Doing things together boosts motivation and also gives your child a sense of engagement with you as his parent.
Sign Up For A Family Fitness Membership
Teaching your kids the importance of good health is a team effort. Try to get everyone in the family household involved in physical activity. This could be through a family fitness gym membership at a local fitness club. Some organizations welcome families and offer substantial discounts on gym memberships. This may also include physical education classes that can help enhance your knowledge and your child's knowledge about fitness and team sports.
Encourage Sport Activity
It can be tempting for kids and teens to grab a fattening snack and head straight for the television when they get home from school each day. On average, most kids watch up to three hours of TV everyday, notes the American Academy Of Pediatrics. This can easily place a child at a higher risk of becoming obese and developing type II diabetes. To combat TV time, try to encourage sports activities for your child. Suggest signing up for a sports team at school or through a local community sport organization.
Teach Your Child The Basics Of A Healthy Lifestyle
The fundamentals of a healthy lifestyle start at home. Purchase healthy foods and create meals that are low-fat and nutritious. Offer only healthy snacks and teach your child to make wise food choices at school or when away from home. Reducing sedentary activities such as video game time and computer usage can also help keep your child active. Promote physical activity by having plenty of sports accessories on hand, but also keep safety gear easily accessible as well.
Promoting a strong foundation for physical activity begins at home. Be open minded about what your child likes to do and be sure to implement other physical activities if he is not interested in team sports.
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