The increasing number of cases of obesity among children is alarming. Parents can point their fingers to what they think is the real culprit of the problem but the bottom line is they are still responsible for whatever it is that their kids have become. To sum it up, the main cause of the problem is overeating and lack of physical activity. Kids nowadays have easy access to tasty yet unhealthy and nutritionally-lacking foods. Most of them also do not know what real “play” is. To kids nowadays, playing is getting in front of the television and an Xbox or burying their heads on their hand held games. This article is about the importance of exercise to kids and how parents can encourage their children to be more physically active.
When it comes to exercise for kids, there are many things that parents should consider. The first thing that they need to know is the amount of time that children need to spend on exercise to become healthy. Many experts recommend that kids should be getting at least an hour of moderate activity everyday. This can come from playing with other kids or through formal exercise routines such as the ones they do during physical education classes. As children gets older, the number of hours they ares spending on exercise should also increase. Kids in their teens should get at least two hours of physical activity everyday.
Your kid doesn't have to really sweat it out. He doesn't have to be panting after each exercise session. Exercise could include simple activities such as playing with or walking the family dog or as intense as an hour-long game of basketball or baseball.
Of course,with all the distractions around, encouraging your kid to get some exercise is easier said than done. One of the things that you can do is to “play” along with your kid. For example, if you like to ride a bike, then why don't you invite your kid to go on a bike trip? If you are into sports, then why don't you challenge your kid to a friendly game of basketball? Doing physical activities together with your kid will also allow you to bond with him or her.
You can also expose him or her to kids who are active. Take him to a practice of your local baseball team. Take him to a park where other kids are skateboarding or biking. You can even take your kid to a martial arts exhibition. By exposing your child to many kinds of physical activities, his interest will surely be piqued sooner or later.
You can also encourage your kid to exercise by buying an exercise equipment. You can get a stationary bike, a treadmill or a mini trampoline such as a Needak or bellicon rebounder. Sooner or later, curiosity will get the better of him and he will be asking you if he can try out the gym equipment himself.
In encouraging your kid to love exercise, the key is to be creative and to always be at his side.
