Overweight kids grow up to be obese adults, but you can keep your kids from gaining too much weight with a bit of exercise.
Of course, normal exercise routines won’t work on kids, so you have to incorporate physical activity into playtime or sports.
Kids and Tots
One of the worst things you can do to a kid is to expose him/her early to tablets, laptops, and televisions. Before the age of digital screens, kids were more likely to go outside and play with each other to entertain themselves.
Cable TV, video games, and phone apps have now taken the place of actual play, entertaining kids with minimal physical activity.
However, studies have shown that children engaging in physical play are happier and more satisfied compared to the ones who play on their screens.
Take your kids to a nearby park or playground – preferably ones with climbing cubes, slides, and other structures they can explore. Yes, your kid is more likely to get bruises and scratches when playing outside, but that’s all part of growing up.
Teens
If your teens aren’t keen on leaving the house, you’ve got a problem. Try to get them into sports, preferably team sports like soccer, basketball, cricket, or netball.
The social aspect of team sports can be a motivating factor to play, but make sure that your teens are getting enough playing time with a friendly team. Playing on a team can make your teens more confident, friendly, focused, and disciplined.
If your kids are less sociable, try competitive sports like tennis and badminton, or timed sports like swimming and running.
Of course, two of the most popular activities for teens in sports and recreation is riding a bike or skateboarding. Both activities are excellent for physical fitness. Just make sure that your kids wear safety gear.
Worst Case Scenarios
If your kids are already embroiled in video games and have no desire to leave the house, you can only blame yourself. Lenient parenting often results in more harm than good, especially in the age of video games.
Buy games that require movement and physical activity. A lot of people lost weight when the Nintendo Wii hit the market, and it’s not the only console that offers games that require movement. Buy a VR helmet and make your kids play while standing up.
VR games have come a long way, and specific titles require extensive physical activity. Your kids will be having fun while working up a sweat.
Of course, you can also just get a little stricter and limit their screen time. Require them to run a certain distance and track them on their phones with a running app.
Get them to catch Pokemon and have them hatch an egg a day. Just encourage a bit of physical activity until it becomes a routine.
Physical play is essential to your kids’
physical and social development. It makes them healthier, both physically and
emotionally, and it makes them less prone to weight gain and obesity.
