Exercise for kids was once a priority parents didn’t need to worry about. At one time children partook in many physical activities, first in school and then around their neighborhoods in the afternoons.
Kids worked up a sweat, an appetite and their heart rates.
Today that is no longer the norm, it’s an exception. And parents are forgetting to make it a priority.
There are a plethora of benefits when it comes to exercise for kids. Exercise keeps children healthy and active presently, but it can also greatly affect their future health. Kids who exercise and eat right are more likely to choose a healthy lifestyle when they become adults. They’re also less likely to experience heart disease, diabetes and many other illnesses.
Through numerous studies, exercise has also been proven to improve a child’s:
• Sleeping habits
• Social skills
• Confidence
• Grades
And when a kid is active at least 30 minutes a day, it’s nearly impossible for them to fall into the childhood obesity category.
Parents have endless options if they notice their children don’t get enough exercise. The most inexpensive option is for parents to execute exercises themselves either in the home or the yard. Simple ideas like a relay race or a scavenger hunt will keeps kids active and entertained. There are even exercises for kids that include craft time to motivate creativity.
It doesn’t take a lot of time or effort to put together an exercise for children. For those who have busy schedules, it may be wise to evaluate priorities to see where exercise for kids fits in the daily routine. Most parents agree there is little more important than their child’s health.
Who do you blame for childhood obesity? What did your parents do to keep you active?
Written by Jeff Wise at myfamilyexercise.com
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Comments (14)
You asked a couple entries back how do you stop eating comfort foods? I eat fruit all the time. Fruit is candy to me. Whatever is in season is what you will find stocked up in my kitchen. I eat as much fruit as I like and never ever feel guilty. RIght now you will find in my kitchen, granny smith apples, garpefruit (a whole big netted bag), oranges, a fresh pineapple, blueberries, banana's, strawberries, and of course lemons.
I think there's many factors to blame but overall, I think the parents need to be taking care of their children.
I make sure to limit TV and computer time, my boys get at least an hour of running around/active time every day, I feed them healthy food. My husband and I are role models for all that as well because why should we expect our kids to do something if we don't do it ourselves.
My mom didn't let us watch TV on days when the weather was good. Actually, aside from stuff on PBS, I don't remember watching a lot of after-school TV at all. We were encouraged to go outside and play. Our bikes got used a lot.
I think it is the weirdest thing that now kids "need" to exercise. What ever happened to just playing outside? I worked with kids in my church, and I noticed, some of them don't even know how to run! It's really sad... Children are falling into the same lazy patterns as adults because of tv, computers, and video games. It's crazy.
Just let the kid GO OUTSIDE and PLAY.
Im sure my mom meant the best, but I think after I turned 10 she definitely didnt pay as much attention to my weight. When I was 12 I told her I thought I was fat and instead she told me it was baby fat. Baby fat? At 12? Yea, Im sure
. As far as my cousins and nieces and nephews Im making sure they spend a lot of time running around outside. If Im babysitting I like to make sure they get at least an hour or two at the park everyday. Or at least outside. Even if its something low key as drawing on the sidewalk in chalk at least they're learning not to depend on the TV or the computer for entertainment. If I ever have kids I plan on enrolling them into some type of activity.
I think parents didn't realize what they had done or lack of what they had done until the awareness really started hitting hard on obesity.
Now the awareness is overwhelming and unless they are severly poor should have no excuse to instill good eating/exercise habits in their children.
But we also have to take in the couple percentage points of the other factors such as Marekting,TV,Video games and trying to do too much at once eating on the go.
@Captivating_Catastrophe08@xanga -
being "poor" is not an excuse. In fact people on the lowest level of income should have the most incentive for their children to be active in ways other than tv and video games because those things cost money. Also many places like YMCA, Boys & Girls club, etc offer a place for kids to go after school for free and they have activities and healthy snacks.
income should not matter when it comes to our children's health!
@fitandfab@xanga - income can have a HUGE effect on our chilkdrens health, im a mom i know this. And you dont need to put poor like "poor", maybe you dont know what its like! Sometime the poor have to worry about getting ANYTHING to eat and if its a doughnut or nothing i think theyd opt for the doughnut, so please dont argue with me on the poor thing unless you want an never ending arguement.
play with them mostly i guess? keeping them emotionally and physically active
Childhood obesity is completely the parents fault. When I was a kid I would spend sun up to sun down outside playing with my friends. I'm 20 and I can't wait for it to get warm again so I can go outside and toss a frisbee around with my roommates or go running without freezing myself half to death (like yesterday, brr)! There is so much fun happening right outside the door, it's a shame some kids aren't participating in it.
I was shoved out the door and told to play out in the yard, ride my bike, or play basketball, and to walk to the convience store if I wanted a treat, or walk to the movies if I wanted to watch one. The tv was also limited. I think that's the problem today is the tv. That and parent's who watch it themselves. Parents these days entertain their kids far too much with the television, rather than teach their children a sport, go to the park, to the pool, take the family to feed the ducks at a close pond, or on a bike ride,etc. Or even have them pick up a book or a hobby! The things we used to do and I used to see others doing.
@fitandfab@xanga - not all people that are poor are on the lowest level of income. And unless pregnant, a woman/household doesn't receive help for the parents, just the children. But how can a child truely learn a healthy lifestyle without seeing their parents adhere to it as well? Although, you're right, it doesn't have to do with how much exercise they are getting.
Kids are very sophisticated consumers of media and our childhood obesity prevention efforts need to keep pace. This is what I came up with: www.jumpwithjill.com/video.html.
I could not agree with you more!
Mike Heppert
NewWayFitness.com
I think "exercise" is part of the problem. Most people know exercise is good for them but still don't do it on a regular basis. It was Einstein that said "Insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting different results". Kids, and adults, just need to be physically active and they need to make having fun during the activity a priority. Instead of exercise, let's have "physical activity fun". Then, they'll do it more often.
Also, parent's can require physical activity fun prior to engaging in sedentary viewing time at NewWayFitness.com.