If you feel that your family’s schedule is too packed with different activities, try incorporating simple physical exercises to give your child their daily dose of exercise. As long as there is enough space in the driveway, yard, or even the sidewalk, you already have a perfect space for exercising.

How Much Exercise is Enough?

How much exercise do our children need every single day? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highly recommends that children get at least one hour of physical activity daily. This is also recommended by the National Health Service of the United Kingdom.

Types of Children’s Exercises

Though it is pretty straightforward, some parents may wonder what exactly are the different types of physical activity that will get children excited to exercise. At least three days every week, a child needs to go through muscle strengthening which can be done in the comfort of their own homes with an indoor playground. Climbing on monkey bars in the park is another alternative. Other forms of exercise can include jumping rope, running, or plain jumping which strengthens their bones.

Why Exercise?

One of the main reasons why children need to be physically active is because their bone health relies on it. 33 to 43% of bone mass is acquired during adolescent years and exercising can support the process. Peak bone mass is achieved during the first three decades of life and gradually declines throughout the rest of a person’s life due to aging.

However, if it becomes possible for us to increase the rate of our peak bone mass during adolescence, there will be a 10% increase in the density of our peak bone mineral which will in turn slow down the onset of osteoporosis by at least 13 years.

Aerobics

Aerobic activity needs to make up most of your child’s daily physical regime and can range from moderate to intense depending on your child’s ability. This can take the form of activities such as brisk walking and running. Vigorous activity needs to be done at least three times every week.

For children with chronic conditions or disabilities, speak to a healthcare professional prior to letting them perform any physical activity. In addition, the best method to encourage exercising in children would be to focus on their personal preferences and interests.

Making Exercise Fun

Younger children love being in the outdoors, thus taking them out will encourage them to become physically active. It is a cheap alternative to visiting gyms or paid playgrounds. It also creates an opportunity for them to break away from their daily habit of hogging the screen.

Regardless of the activity that you decide to introduce to your children, always bear in mind their age and interests. The higher their enthusiasm in a particular activity, the easier it will become for you to encourage them to be physically active and exercise. It helps build a healthy foundation to becoming healthy adults in the future. If you are thinking of purchasing equipment to help your child get physically active, please feel free to contact Fitness Kid to get you started!