Children need physical fitness to grow well. Yet, not all kids get excited at the thought of an early morning jog. It looks tiring, boring, and time consume to the young ones. But, are there ways to encourage your kids to take up physical fitness? Yes. Here are five such tricks: –
- Incorporate Physical Fitness in Your Everyday Activities
Kids love to play all day. Hence, turn their playtime into a fitness exercise. Use techniques like rope skipping, cart races, and potato races to make the sessions as enjoyable as possible. Never set a particular time for the exercises. Instead, maintain a flexible schedule. That way, the children will view the physical fitness routines as part of their regular daily routines.
- Encourage Kids To Help With House Chores
Do your kids spend most of their time seated studying or watching TV. Break this sedentary lifestyle as early as possible. That is, when a child is about two or three years of age, he can start helping out with house chores. Start with the most straightforward duties, like clearing the table after dinner. Then, move on to more complicated house chores as you bound with your child.
- Lead By Example
Do you have a regular fitness routine? If not, then develop one. For kids tend to notice your actions more than what you instruct them. For example, if you are training your child into a model, then maintain a similar diet and fitness routine. To encourage them further, make the fitness routine as playful as possible. So, the next time you are doing sit-ups, let your child lie on your back and help you count.
- Invest in Appropriate Fitness Gear
Did you know that you risk getting hurt if you go for physical training with no appropriate gear? The same applies to kids who exercise while wearing the wrong clothes.
That is, ensure your kids wear a helmet, proper shoes, moisture-wicking shirts, and comfortable shorts when running, cycling, or skating. We now have trendy sports gear that kids will love. Let your child choose the color and design they like. Remember, even a minor accident can be discouraging to a child who is starting on fitness. Hence, ensure you support your child’s healthy habits at an early age.
- Reward Their Efforts
Most children learn best when one uses a cause and effect approach. Hence, for every fitness goal, let your child know what to expect as his reward. For example, once you ask the children to clean up their rooms in a record five minutes, reward them with a glass of their favorite fresh juice. Other reward ideas include taking them to the nature park for a walk. Or, you can buy him his favorite skateboard and encourage him to play outdoors more.
As a parent, your attitude towards physical fitness will set the pace for the kids. Then, make it your responsibility to find as many fun activities as possible for your kids. It takes time to adjust to any new routine. Thus, learn to be patient with your kids. If you must, choose one day of the week as the cheat day. On this day, the kids are free to do whatever they like about fitness. They may surprise you how much they enjoy physical fitness in the first place.