7 Ways to Make Exercise Fun For Kids

Exercise Fun For Kids and The Whole Family

1.Add Fun Tricks That Work The Imagination

It’s important to establish the habits early on, experts say, and to do it in a way that grabs attention. In local kid-geared health programs, Foco gets children moving by pumping high-energy music, having them “swim” the backstroke and “dribble” invisible basketballs. They love it, she says.

“It’s not just telling the kids, ‘OK, you’re going to do this; you’re going to do that,’” says Foco, who also offers tips Saturday mornings in Zonya’s Health Bites on public television. “It’s modeling it through the parents. I encourage whole families to get up together. That laundry will wait. Even if it’s only 10, 15 minutes of activity – with your kids.”

2.Move It Outside

“Take a family adventure on your bike through your neighborhood or go on a gentle nature walk,” suggests Sue Fields, the founder and CEO of Multi Sports Journeys. “Most everyone is capable of a bike or walk and if they’re not, they probably need to start.” Bonus: Researchers at Harvard University found that fresh-air activities help counteract the negative physical and mental health impact of a sedentary, indoor lifestyle. Involve your kids and let them choose which outdoor activities your family will tackle each week. ~Max Sports & Fitness

3.Get The Family a Dog

One last fun way to help bring the family together and get more exercise is to adopt a family dog. Remember that this is a big decision but, if you’re ready to take on the responsibility of owning a pet, it can be a great way to encourage more activity—nearly double, in fact! One study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine showed that, out of a group of 177 subjects, those who owned dogs spent a total of 300 minutes each week walking, while those who didn’t only spent 168 minutes. That’s nothing to bark at! ~Bodybuilding.com

Just be sure your family can be responsible pet owners.

4.Find Activities That Fit Your Child’s Personalty

If you have multiple children, this can be a bit more challenging, but you can simply take turns.

When selecting a fitness activity, it’s important to consider your child’s personality and his personal preferences.

If your child prefers playing in a group environment, he would probably prefer to play a team sport like soccer, softball, or lacrosse. If he tends to thrive more on his own, consider an individual activity like biking, running or tennis. Does your child like one activity that takes a significant amount of time or is her attention span one that would do better with several shorter activities? Knowing your child’s answers to these questions will help you both more accurately select the fitness activities that provide good results while maximizing fun and enjoyment. ~momstream.com

5.Use The Space Around Your Home

Turn your backyard, driveway, or sidewalk into your own playground. This is a great way to squeeze in some fun activity while dinner is in the oven. Try some of these easy at-home games:

Use chalk to draw a four square court, and play with a large rubber ball.
Play catch, but have the ball bounce first before you catch it.
Sock Tag – everyone places a long sock hanging out of a pocket. Then run and see who tags (grabs the socks) of the most people.
Have the family line up and take turns leading a game of red light green light or Simon says!
If you have a large enough group, kids of all ages can join in on games like duck-duck-goose or red rover.
Climb a tree
Create your own race station –let the kids come up with the rules and the name

~via SuperKidsNutrition

6.Introduce Your Kids to Sports

Try not to make fitness feel like a chore. Here are some tips to make physical activity fun:

Let your children choose activities they like

Finding out what interests them always works better than forcing them to do a sport. Encourage your child to take part in out-of-school physical activity lessons (e.g. martial arts or dance).

Be a role model

Take part in physical activity enthusiastically, and your child will probably follow.

Encourage participation in team sports

These help your child develop both physical and technical prowess as well as social and communicative skills.

Include sports in your family’s weekend activities

The perfect family weekend balances physical and leisure activities. Find something kids of all ages can enjoy together, like ball games, frisbee or cycling.

Select ‘toys’ or gifts that promote physical activity

Things like a ball, jump rope or pair of in-line skates can get your child moving while bringing many hours of fun.

~via Health Promotion Board

Rainy Day? No problem. Jump on YouTube and find a fitness video the whole family can do together. Move that coffee table to clear some space in your living room and get moving!

7.Try Indoor Fitness Videos for The Whole Family

Here’s a 25 minute one from Fitness Blender: