Leading a healthy and active lifestyle all starts in childhood. When you encourage your kids to enjoy the outdoors, crave physical exercise, and keep their bodies healthy, they will keep these traits with them for the rest of their lives. With all of the entertainment options in today’s world, it can be tough to keep kids active instead of zoning out in front of YouTube. Here are some tips to keep your kids on the right track:
Arrange Activities or Play Dates with Friends
Getting kids to socialize and interact with their peers at a young age is important for nurturing those crucial social skills. It’s also a great way for them to get active and burn off some energy. Make a plan for a play date on a weekly basis with neighbouring kids or peers from their class. Heading to the local park, jungle gym, or splash pad are all excellent ways to let the kids run around and have fun playing together while also moving their bodies and developing their muscles.
Interactive Online Games
On those windy, rainy and gloomy days, you can still get the kids off the couch and moving around. If they want to spend time in front of their screens, encourage them to play some interactive games where they can stand up and use their bodies. Many online games are adventure-based or sports-based when they can navigate their way through the digital world by using their arms and legs – not just their fingers and thumbs. It’s the perfect way to balance out screen time when they’re stuck inside during bad weather.
Get Them to Help Out With Household Chores
No parent wants to be constantly picking up after their kids. And as they get older, we want our children to grow into self-sufficient, self-aware and responsible adults. That’s why it’s important to get kids involved in household chores early on so they can learn to pick up after themselves. Set up weekly chores to help your kids learn and understand the value of contributing and taking care of the environment around them. This will teach them invaluable life lessons and help to prepare them for real life, so they can take care of themselves.
Encourage Them to Help in the Garden
Another ideal way for them to stay active is by helping out in the garden. Depending on their age, you can divvy up appropriate tasks. Raking, planting flowers, and pulling up weeks are excellent tasks where they can use their hands. You could even get them involved in planting some veggies to watch as their hard work pays off once the veggies grow and can be eaten.
Take Them on Nature Hikes or Bike Rides
Explore the trails around your neighbourhood with family hikes or bike rides. There’s so much to see and explore when you spend time in nature, and there are many benefits to this too. For example, when kids are immersed in the natural environment at a young age and can interact with it, they develop a greater appreciation and respect for it. It also makes them think, question, and develop their cognitive and emotional processes.
Spend Time on the Farm
Take your kids on a sensory adventure by spending the day at a local farm or petting zoo. They can play and touch the animals, enjoy a pony ride, and learn all about farming and the cute animals they get to play with. It’s always a big hit, and it’s a great way to get them active.
Teach Them Something New
Whether it’s juggling, playing catch, throwing a football or making a kite, teaching your kids something new is a win-win situation when it comes to keeping them engaged and active. This might require a little nudge or two to get them interested, but once they start, they’ll love it. Suggest a few different activities or skills for them to learn so they can choose what interests them the most.
These tips should help your kids stay fit and develop healthy habits that last for the rest of their lives.
