Whether you plan ahead or decide on the spur of the moment, it’s always fun to add some variety to your child’s activities. As your children grow, they will learn and discover new games, play outdoors and engage in sports. Increased physicality improves development in children and plays an important role in the physical well-being. Kids must be encouraged to be more active and parents are encouraged to join them – and make moving fun! Play, ride bikes, jump, hop and skip. This will strengthen your bond, allowing you quality time with your little ones too. Combined with a balanced diet, exercise strengthens and tones muscles and maintains healthy skin.
Did you know? That physical activity allows the skin to perspire, which releases impurities and toxins from the body, as well as increases blood flow to the skin for a healthy glow. Experts say that physical activity improves your child mentally, builds confidence, and increases self-esteem, cognitive and social skills.
If you are struggling to find new ways to get your child active, then here are 6 fun workout ideas to help your child stay fit without getting bored. You can enjoy them too.
1. Join a class
Joining a class is a great way for your child to socialize and make new friends. A room full of energetic kids will definitely get your kid hyped and ready to workout. This is a fun way to introduce your kid to something new. Join a fitness class like Zumba, aerobics, little yoga, kick boxing, or a dance class, which is great for parents too! Classes are a way to de-stress, build self-esteem and improve your child’s overall well-being, amongst teaching them to be fit and live a healthy lifestyle from an early age.
2. Play an active video game
Wii, X-Box, Play-station and other similar video games with motion controllers, is a great way to get your child off the couch. It’s fun with a variety of games that your child will love to play, including regular sports games. Exercise and fitness games are popular, such as the Wii Fit, and great for the whole family. Your kids probably won’t work up a sweat as much, but it’s great for building up motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
3. Take up a sport
A simple way to get your child to be active is to join a sport. Girls and boys of all ages must have at least one sport of interest, such as swimming, tennis, squash, soccer, rugby or anything that can be done indoors too. The encouragement from parents will help them build new skills, learn sportsmanship, boost their confidence while playing and having fun too. It’s also a great idea to take up a sport as a family, making it a game that you all will love and spend quality time together.
4. Cycling or jogging
This is a fun way to get the kids outdoors and on the move. Take them to a park or cycle with them to explore and get a good workout too. If you don’t have bicycles for your kids or tots, a walk in the park or jog around the block for some sight-seeing will do. Kids love to have fun outdoors and getting active in the open air is a great idea.
5. Playground fun
Another fun way to get your child or children to exercise is to have some playground fun. A couple of minutes on the jungle gym, balance beam, the round-about and swings – is just enough to work all their muscles, while opening their mind and getting some fresh air too. Playground activities is a great way for kids to play and practice their motor and cognitive skills.
6. Indoor activities
Most of your time is spent at home, especially during the school holidays. Getting the kids involved in household chores is a good way for them to stay busy and to keep active. Make it a challenge and let them help around the house like packing groceries when returning from the store, dusting, and other easy things they can do.
Dedicate a spot in the house and set a few minutes at least three times a week to exercise. With some yoga mats, working out will be exciting for your child. Do some stretching and warm up exercises to get you started, followed by a basic workout routine. A resistance band is perfect for indoor exercises, which helps to build muscle tone and get your little one to stretch those calf muscles. Exercise rubber resistance bands are recommended by Occupational Therapists as good form of exercise which can be used in many ways focusing on different areas of the body. Indoor exercises is a good way to get some much needed exercise for moms too.
As parents play the most important role in the growth and development of their children, it’s also important to be a healthy role model, to help them stay fit. Active and happy children are more likely to become active and healthy adults.