Ensuring that a child stays active and healthy is not always an easy job. The task can be even harder if your child has been let out of school for the summer, and intends to enjoy their school-free days. Luckily, with a little consideration for their interests, there are ways that you can get them to stay active, and even enjoy the experience. Engaging in exercise, chores, dance, and sports are just a few of the ways that your child can stay physical and healthy. Even taking your child to a playground can give them a way to stay fit.
Today's technologically-driven society provides both adults and children with many different, new and fascinating forms of entertainment. While these activities can be fun, and even exercise the brain muscle, physical activity for the rest of the body should also be encouraged. The reasons why children should partake in physical activity are numerous: weight control, more restful sleep, and even better moods have been associated with adequate exercise. In addition to the many other health benefits it provides, physical activity has also been shown to help children learn, which can be a wonderful benefit to any child who is out of school for the summer months. One of the ways that parents can actively engage their children in exercise is to simply suggest activities themselves. Think about offering to take up a new physical hobby with your child, such as hiking. Shared activities can provide your child a physical experience, and also allow you quality time together. Delegating certain chores around the house to your child can get their blood pumping, as well as give you the added benefit of an accomplished household task. Even large crafts can provide a physical and imaginative outlet for your child.
Many children refuse to engage in physical activity during their leisure time because they associate it with work. If you find a way to convince your child that your planned physical activity or exercise is actually fun, you may have more luck peeling them off of the couch and getting them into sunshine. Having your child enroll in exercise programs, like those offered by youth centers, can be a great way for them to stay fit. Signing your child up for sports activities can also offer your child a way to remain physically active, even when outside of a physical education (PE) class. If your child doesn't show interest in structured exercise, encourage them to try other forms of physical activity: dance and even swimming in pools with friends can often provide the same types of physical benefits that regular exercise can. Consider joining in on the fun. Children often adopt the attitudes of their parents, so expressing interest in exercise or simply joining in on the physical activities that you have planned for them can help you lead by example and give them the opportunity to share in your enthusiasm.
Playgrounds can be a great way for young kids to remain active, while also offering them the experience of social play. These fun, physical structures can be built to accommodate their small statures and provide boundless entertainment, with their colorful attractions and their timeless appeal. Taking your child to a park and encouraging them to explore its playground can introduce them to physical activities and sensations that they would otherwise not have the opportunity to experience. Common attractions like seesaws, swings, and monkey bars can strengthen children's legs, trunks and arms, while providing them with opportunity to feel the exotic sensations of velocity and weightlessness. In addition, many friendships can be formed while on a playground, which can lead to lessons in interpersonal dynamics, such as respect, fairness, and sharing.
Find more about the author: Kim Hart
