LEAD BY EXAMPLE – Get Active!
It’s easy to think “Do as I say, not as I do,” but we can’t expect our kids to be active when they see us glued to a device, or struggling to get out from under the TV.
If we want our kids to be more energetic and physically active, we need to go device-free too, until a designated time and place.
CHANGE YOUR MINDSET – Think Active!
Devices have become part of our culture and made life more comfortable in a lot of ways, but they’ve also made us more sedentary than ever. In 2018, it was estimated that only 1 in 3 kids are physically active each day.
And while I hear a lot of parents say, “Well, it’s just the way it is today,” as the adult in the room, do we really want to make that your mantra?
What helps a lot is to model the behaviour we’d like to see in our children. Kids who regularly see their parents having fun with a sport or physical activity are more like to want to get active too.
Getting and keeping our kids active doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some ideas to make it easier:
Activities To Do With the Family – Choose What Feels Fun & Developmentally Appropriate
Just like us, the more our kids enjoy doing something, the more they’ll want to keep doing it. Guide them into trying different things by doing activities together initially. Go:
• Kick the football around
• Try rock-climbing
• Play volleyball or basketball
• Ice-skating
• Orienteering
• Play catch
• Throw down some old blankets and wrestle
• Set out an obstacle course at the park or beach
• Play some water games at the local pool
• Hiking for a day or for less than an hour
• Camping
Help them by making sure the activity is appropriate for your child’s physical abilities so that it’s fun for them, and challenging enough too so they get to experience a sense of accomplishment as well.
When in doubt, make it FUN first, and as long as everyone’s safe forget about the rules 😉
If it feels right, encourage other families or children to come join in with you. More often than not, the more the merrier, and being with others often helps our kids to get out of their comfort zone.