How to keep your children active

By: Alejandra Jimenez

It is not easy to reconcile the busy day of parents who work, or the housework of stay-at-home parents, with the time and care that children need to stay happy and healthy. Nevertheless, we can’t let our routine make us leave out important details of our role as parents. These tips will help you keep your children active and happy, even if you can’t go outside:

When you go shopping, generally you do not have too much time. And if you have to take your children with you, it will probably be better to sit them on a stroller or a shopping cart. However, little kids need to keep on moving all the time, and if you buckle them up you are depriving them of their natural need of movement. Let them walk next to you at the store and help you push the cart, or have them pick some of the groceries from the shelves.

If your kids are always at home or at indoor places only, you are restricting their freedom and exposing them to constant warnings, such as “do not put your shoes on the couch”, “do not run at home”, or “do not shout because you bother the neighbors”, for example. To make sure that your children are doing enough physical activity, visit frequently any safe outdoor place, so they have plenty space to run, jump, climb up and down, and shout as much as they want. If possible, bring in a ball and some toys to keep them entertained for a while.

Another excellent way to keep your children active is walking along a trail, at the beach, or at a lake shore, where they can observe some animals, search for treasures, collect rocks of certain color, count stars, and many other activities.

It is not easy to reconcile the busy day of parents who work, or the housework of stay-at-home parents, with the time and care that children need to stay happy and healthy. Nevertheless, we can’t let our routine make us leave out important details of our role as parents. These tips will help you keep your children active and happy, even if you can’t go outside:

When you go shopping, generally you do not have too much time. And if you have to take your children with you, it will probably be better to sit them on a stroller or a shopping cart. However, little kids need to keep on moving all the time, and if you buckle them up you are depriving them of their natural need of movement. Let them walk next to you at the store and help you push the cart, or have them pick some of the groceries from the shelves.

If your kids are always at home or at indoor places only, you are restricting their freedom and exposing them to constant warnings, such as “do not put your shoes on the couch”, “do not run at home”, or “do not shout because you bother the neighbors”, for example. To make sure that your children are doing enough physical activity, visit frequently any safe outdoor place, so they have plenty space to run, jump, climb up and down, and shout as much as they want. If possible, bring in a ball and some toys to keep them entertained for a while.

Another excellent way to keep your children active is walking along a trail, at the beach, or at a lake shore, where they can observe some animals, search for treasures, collect rocks of certain color, count stars, and many other activities.

When it is not possible to take your children outside, music will always be your best ally to make them happy. Dance, sing along, and play together with any kind of rhythm.

Be an example for your kids by showing how physical activity helps them grow healthy and strong. Children’s habits are mostly influenced by their parents’ behavior. Therefore, every time you have the chance, choose walking instead of going by car (if you thing they might get tired, you may take a stroller). Do exercise together at home (yoga, dance). Enjoy together some outdoor activities, such as soccer at the park, fly a kite, swim at the pool.

Friends are a great motivation for your children. Invite one of their best friends to spend the afternoon playing at the swimming pool. Take them to a little and safe hill and teach them how to roll over. Let the kids play and exercise together at the park.

If you can afford it, enroll them in swimming lessons, a gym or any martial arts. Kids can get a lot of benefit from disciplines like these, even in the early years.

Remember, the main goal is making physical activities fun, so your children stay active without pressure or bad times.