Exercise For Children

The number of sporting activities, both inside and outside of school, is amazing.  Each season brings a new sport.  Soccer in the Fall, basketball in winter, and baseball or track in the springtime.  There are so many opportunities for exercise for children.

Having said that, not every child likes to play school sports.  It could be that they are not athletically inclined, or perhaps they arenote interested in the particular sport that's being played.

If that's the case, then look to walking as a great exercise for children.

Walking for exercise

Walking with a child is a magical time.  It gets both of you out of the house and into the fresh air where all kinds of things can be explored, from nature to personal.

My daughter loves to walk with me, but what's best it that she is able to talk to me and tell me, unprompted, about her day at school.  I don't have to ask her "how was your day".  I just say nothing and pretty soon she starts to bring up the daily news. The bond formed by these walks is so powerful, and to think we are both getting exercise at the same time!

In spring we go down to our golf course and walk around to see the little ducklings.  This has become a ritual each spring.  In Fall we kick around the leaves, and in winter we walk fast!

Outside of walking, there are plenty of other sports to choose from.  If you have a daughter, then hula hoop exercises are a great way to stay in shape.  And girls can hula hoop all day!

if your child likes swimming, consider signing her up for a swim club.  My son and daughter joined a year round swimming club at the YMCA and you will find that swimming is one of the best forms of exercise for children available.

Not only is it a great sport, but being part of a club will result in improvements in social skills. I also found that the discipline of swimming, with scheduled pratices 3-4 times per week, instilled a very disciplined approach to our kids life.,  They knew they had to get their homework done before practice, so they buckled down quickly when they got home from school.

If you have a home gym, and your kids are old enough, then you'll find more than enough exercise for children right there.  Be cautious when they start lifting weights or use a work out machine like a Home Gym Smith Machine.

It's best to be with them when they do any form of weightlifting.  Remember, they are k=children and anything can happen. 

Perhaps the safest item in the home gym would be an exercise bike, like the LifeCycle exercise bike. Again, make sure you child is old enough. 

If you have the time you might want to join your local YMCA. Most communities have these, and they have a lot of options for exercise for children. The whole family can find things to do there, and they are quite often priced just right so you don’t have to break your budget.

Whatever form of exercise for children you choose, school sports, swimming clubs, or just walks, just do something!  It's important that your kids realize that exercising is a way of life and something that will stay with them forever.