Exercise is necessary for everyone to live well. In fact, kids should be getting at least 60 minutes of vigorous exercise every day. So, what are you supposed to do if your kids don’t want to get active?
4 Tips for Parents on Encouraging Children to Exercise
Don’t just sit there! Keep reading for four essential tips for parents on encouraging children to exercise.
1. Turn It into a Game
Gamification is a technique that involves introducing elements of a game into non-game activities or contexts. This can mean assigning points, creating competition among “players,” giving rewards, assigning goals and challenges, and incentives to “win.”
It can be challenging to get kids excited about exercising. They aren’t likely to understand (or care) that they should be doing physical activity every day. By turning it into a game, you can make fitness more fun and motivate your children to reach their goals.
2. Create a Reward System
Keep your kids motivated and help them reach fitness goals by creating a reward system. For young children, this can be in the form of a simple chart with fun stickers or magnets. You can use a calendar for older kids to keep track of their activity and progress.
Giving rewards or gifts that promote more physical activity is an excellent option to motivate your kids. Rollerblades/skates, basketballs, soccer balls, bikes, or even video games that require them to be up and moving, such as Just Dance.
3. Incentivize Healthy Eating
A crucial part of living a healthy lifestyle is maintaining a balanced diet. Kids need anywhere from 1,200 to 2,800 calories daily, depending on age and activity levels, to power them through their days. This nutrition should come in the form of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy.
Using your reward system, you can praise your children for making healthy food choices and take the opportunity to explain the difference between different snacks and how to choose.
Related Reads:
- How to Improve Your Family’s Lifestyle Choices
- How to Live an Active Lifestyle as a Busy Parent
- 3 Healthy Goals You Should Do to Keep Physically Fit
4. Get Everyone Involved
This means you. You should be setting a good example for your children by living a healthy and active lifestyle yourself. Doing so will encourage your children to follow in your footsteps and live well themselves naturally.
This doesn’t just have to be at home either. Parents can volunteer to coach sports or sign up for activities like yoga, karate, or water aerobics as a family. Family activities may help strengthen your bond with your children as well.
Be aware of these factors that could compromise your child’s health as they age.
Encouraging Children to Exercise Made Easy
Encouraging children to have a proper diet, and a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be complicated. You can make fitness fun and get your kids excited about getting healthy. Doing exercise into a game with a reward system and incentives that everyone participates in is a great way to promote a happy and healthy life.
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