Channeling Energy to Keep Kids Healthy

Channeling Energy to Keep Kids Healthy

Keeping Kids Fit While Learning New Skills

Physical activity and mental fitness are equally important in the development of kids from preschool and beyond. As your kids grow, they will use their social skills for interaction in sports, after school activities, and backyard playtime.

When you think of an Easter Egg Hunt, you think of it as an adventure where eggs are hidden in the grass, and spread out enough for kids to go searching for as many eggs as they can collect. A scavenger hunt similar to this, is a great way for your kids to develop their motor skills. They can also mix it up by running, jumping, and skipping their way through a field or a park to find what’s hidden, all while having fun.

Taking a stroll down the street or in a park is another form of exercise that kids will enjoy when coupled with something they love to do such as singing or counting. Reciting nursery rhymes, counting the squares on the sidewalk, and singing songs that were learned in school, will keep their minds busy while physically being active.

With the rise in obesity for children, it’s imperative that you get your kids up and moving instead of engaging in activities such as video games and too much TV. This can cause them to become less active over time and lazy for the most part.

As parents, we should make it a priority to get our kids motivated for mental and physical fitness.

This includes:

Fitness training- If your kids aren’t involved in after school activities or sports, enrolling them into a fitness training program such as a dance class, water aerobics class, or tumbling class, would be a great benefit to their health. Here, they will be able to be in an organized environment and can learn about following rules and structure.

Participation in Fitness- There’s nothing better than having family fun! Parents can make all the difference by supporting their kids with fitness by becoming more fit themselves. This interaction is not only beneficial to the both of you physically, but it can also be a fun way to learn new skills together.

Volunteering- Helping others or giving back to the community, will help kids learn about work ethic and gratitude. Getting them out and into the community has its physical benefits and teaches them responsibility, relationship building, and valuable lessons.

Mixing Up Activities to Keep Kids Motivated

As kids get older, the demand on their time escalates. They often have more commitments in school and more responsibilities at home. One thing that never changes, is their need to be active on a daily basis.

Generally, kids should have at least an hour of physical activity every day. Some days they might have a little more motivation than others, and this could be because of boredom or lack of options available. This could cause them to develop inactive habits such as sitting on the computer for a portion of the day, playing video games, or doing nothing at all.

For some kids, especially smaller ones, they won’t find it easy to understand how physical fitness can benefit their overall health. In either case, it’s helpful if you keep activities fun and engaging so they want to be involved and they look forward to it. Pushing them to do things they don’t like will only cause them to be frustrated and want to quit.

When kids are younger, introducing them to a variety of sports can be they way to go if you want them to strengthen their motor skills and teach them about teamwork. Catching a football, throwing a baseball, kicking a soccer ball, are all good sports for youngsters. If they find a new interest in any sport, you might want to think about getting them on a team. If competing seems like it would be too much pressure for your child to handle, then consider playing with them yourself or involve the whole family. Focus on the fun and not so much on winning.

Some other things that will motivate kids to keep active are:

Outdoor Games- Kids love the outdoors so getting them to play games in the backyard or at the part shouldn’t be a problem. Consider some of the old favorites such as Softball, Tag, and Hide and Go Seek for a good time.

Alternative Sports- Let’s say your kids aren’t fascinated with the likes of baseball, football, or soccer. Try other sports like swimming, karate, or gymnastics. Let them find their space based on their personality and by giving them options.

Get a Friend to Join the Fun- This would be an automatic pleaser for most kids. Having their bestie come along and join in on their fitness journey is super exciting and motivating. Kids naturally enjoy doing activities with other kids their age whether it’s playing a game, chasing each other like a cat and mouse, or bike riding.

Be Positive- Supporting your kids when they are successful or not is critical for boosting their self-esteem. Positive reinforcement will enhance their confidence and encourage them to keep doing their best. Whether they improve their skills or remain consistent with their activity, always acknowledge the effort that’s being put in.

More Fitness Contributes to Better Brain Performance

There was a time when it was the easiest thing in the world to get up off the couch or up from in front of the television to play until there was no energy left. There was recess and gym in school, and then at home it was playtime until the street lights came on. Surely you can say that physical activity was a part of a normal daily routine.

You may not have realized it back then, but if you did quite well in school, regular physical activity is what contributed to your performance. The white matter in our brain keeps the signals connected so the brain functions well and academic performance increases. As kids grow, so does the volume of white matter in their brain, and fitness plays a huge role in the changes that take place.

Studies show that as kids regularly participate in exercise, their test scores improve, they are able to concentrate better, and their memory increases. The increase in brain activity causes an increase in brain cells, which results in a win-win for kids in fitness and academics.

Mental health is always a concern for parents due to all the emotional stress and experiences kids deal with from day to day, especially as they get older. This is where exercise comes in. Increased levels of norepinephrine and endorphins from exercise has been proven to help decrease stress, anxiety, and depression while increasing social skills, sleep, energy, and confidence.

So, if your kids aren’t performing well in school in subjects like math, reading, or language, you might want to consider improving their physical activity. Their cognitive skill development may be at risk. While exercise provides more oxygen and blood flow to the brain, it also helps different parts of the brain work together collectively for optimal performance.

Sports will Keep Kids In Optimal Shape

Although younger kids often participate in little league sports for a period of time, playing sports on a consistent basis has a different effect on older kids. This is majorly due to changes in the body as kids grow older. More so than just walking to and from school or something of the sort, playing an organized sport gives kids a better chance at keeping their weight down and eliminating obesity altogether.

Now some kids may not be naturally athletic- but this can change. It all starts with you- the parent. There are a number of ways you can pull out that inner athlete and the younger they are when you start, the better.

Older kids tend to have a certain sense of self and feelings of what they can and cannot do. It can be like pulling teeth when trying to change their minds. However, younger kids are still open minded and aren’t as connected to their feelings about what they can and cannot do. They will usually try anything at least once.

As parents, observing your kids and their interests gives you the green light on what sports they could potentially stick with. Being positive and keeping the pressure off enables them to be more receptive to adapting a new activity. And if they’re not feeling “good enough”, help them understand that:
a. there are other options
b. they will get better with time

So, what if your child just isn’t the “athletic” type at all? If he really isn’t into it due to lack of confidence, self-esteem, or interest, try getting him involved in a training program where he can improve his skills. Most sports enhancement programs run for several weeks, allowing you to join in before, during, or after the season starts.

These programs also involve:
a. cardio training
b. strength training
c. agility drills
d. speed training
e. flexibility training
f. core strengthening
g. And specific training for whatever sport you’re active in

Exercises that Get Your Kids Moving and Having a Blast

It’s obvious that for kids to get up and get moving, something fun has to take place. And if you’re not focusing on fun, physical activity can be dreadful and boring.

There’s a cool video out called DanceX for Kids which incorporates fun with dancing as the exercise workout. It also provides kids with nutrition tips for a healthier lifestyle, and of course, great music to go along with it. Dancing is great for helping kids with their motor skills, development, and breathing.

After the hard part of actually getting your kids from in front of the TV is done, introducing them to dancing might not do the trick. Another option is a bounce house or bouncer. Once they get on this thing, they’ll be laughing and having so much fun that it won’t feel like exercise at all. Your biggest trouble might be getting them off the bouncer.

Finally, there’s the playground. This is one that you can do as a family so that everyone benefits from burning calories. Who doesn’t like the playground? You’ve got the slide, swing, merry go round, monkey bars, etc, and the goal is to go through all the different gadgets and whoever is the fastest at finishing, is the winner. A little friendly competition with family or friends can be a lot of fun.

Getting kids moving and channeling the energy they possess is possible and doesn’t have to be a challenge for any parent. If you keep it fun, they will be open to doing it. Your support and positive reinforcement is a common factor for kids to remain active for their health both mentally and physically.