How to Encourage Your Children to Be More Active
Nearly every parent wishes that their children were more active. Screen time, video games, long days at school, and other seated activities often get in the way of this goal. That leaves parents searching for ideas.
If you’re wondering how to get your kids to be more active and looking for ways to encourage physical activity, here are a few suggestions that can help.
Use Exercise as Transportation
A great way to encourage physical activity is to use active transportation whenever possible. If you can walk or bike to an event or appointment, consider doing so instead of driving. Yes, it might take longer, but it is good for your health and may just give you an energy boost.
Think about all the places you go and determine whether it’s possible to use active transportation to get there. For instance, if your school is too far to walk, can you bike to it? If not, can you bike to the store or the park instead of driving?
If you’re taking public transit, consider getting off a stop or two early and walking the rest of the way. Every little bit matters.
Involve the Whole Family
Of course, while your focus may be on active kids, the whole family needs to be physically active. Consider going on a family walk after dinner or before bedtime — this can be a great way to spend time outdoors, talk to one another without distractions, and get in some additional physical activity.
You may also want to look for more active ways to spend family time on weekends, such as going for bike rides, hiking, or playing sports with your kids, rather than going to movies or dinners.
Focus on Fun
You know the expression “time flies when you’re having fun?” The same is true for exercise. Kids will be much more likely to do physical activity if they’re having a great time. Running around a track for an hour might seem like a slog but running around a soccer field during a game, climbing on a play structure, or jumping on a trampoline can be a lot of fun!
Think of things your children enjoy and try to make those into active opportunities. Have scavenger hunts outdoors that involve running around the neighbourhood, for example, or play sports together.
Make Activity Social
It’s much more enjoyable to do an activity when you involve friends. Using this line of thinking, consider planning some active play with your children’s friends. Invite them all for a day at the playground or put together a game of softball in the park. When everyone is together and having fun, it won’t feel like they’re forced to be active. Instead, they’ll enjoy the time together.
An indoor playground is a perfect way for kids to socialize and be active at the same time. And you won’t need to worry about the weather since it’s all indoors!
Limit Screen Time
One thing that often gets in the way of physical activity for kids is screen time. We’re all guilty of spending too much time in front of screens, parents included. For this reason, it’s a good idea to set limits on screen time — this is particularly true when it comes to passive screen time, such as watching TV or online videos. These are sedentary activities that aren’t good for your child’s physical or social development.
If you’re looking for a fun and exciting way to get your kids more active, we’re here for you! Our indoor playscape structure includes jungle gyms, trampolines, slides, ball pits, and many more activities to keep your kids moving and having fun.
Give us a call today at 905-785-3990 or visit our online contact page to book your family’s next visit.
