Fun And Healthy Kids Activities

My kids don’t see their activeness as exercise; they like to call it boot camp. Us adults, we know that boot camp is a hard work-out and cringe at the thought of it! However, my kids they love the phrase. So, make up your word that your children like, try to avoid the word exercise. The list below is what my kids enjoy doing for fun and health hopefully it can get your kids active too!

Kids Love Technology

So, get any play game App on your smart phones that allow kids to track their walking path, duration, calories, pace, etc. The great thing about this app is kids enjoy looking at their ‘stats’ while they exercise, and they will keep going and going. By the way, this app also works for bikes, running, cleaning the house, mowing the lawn and many other items! Or, use a pedometer, and see how many steps the kids take each week, try to improve on taking more steps, or do the same amount of steps in a shorter time frame.

Challenges

Create a fitness challenge, whether it’s a walking or running challenge, sports challenges or better yet, a Biggest Loser Challenge. Make a reward system, possibly bi-weekly to keep their interest or whenever they reach a milestone so that they can see the reachable goal. If you child has some friends or you have another family(s) that you can be in competition with, that will only increase your motivation!

Chores

Isn’t it funny how children love to do chores when they are young, and then all of a sudden, chores aren’t so fun anymore! While they are interested, get them involved in.

• Gardening: digging, planting or finding ripe vegetables, and hopefully when they have picked enough, they help clean the veggies and then eat them!
• Yard work: planting bushes and flowers, pushing the lawn mower (or helping dad do it), racking the grass or leaves just keep them busy outside! They love to be helpers, even though it will slow you down!
• Washing the cars: whether it is squirting the car (or dad!), cleaning the dirt off the car or drying it off, kids will be sweating after that exercise!
• Organize and Clean out Rooms – lifting, carrying and moving items out the house; who better to help!

Team, Individual And Family Sports

Organized games and sports can fill your evening and weekends with games and practices and are necessary for building teamwork and sportsmanship. Be involved in your child’s sport, cheering them on! If your child would rather be in an individual sport, look to karate, gymnastic, dance or swimming. Remember alternative sports- Frisbee to skateboarding to horseback riding can also provide enjoyment and exercise for your child. Let them figure out which ones they enjoy.