As parents, we want our children to be healthy and fit for their whole lives. However, with busy schedules and a never-ending list of things to do, it can be hard to make time for activities that are good for our kids’ health. Let’s talk about why being healthy and fit is important for kids.
Tips to Ensure Kids Stay Active
Busy schedules and constant demands on their time don’t have to be an obstacle. We can ensure our children are getting the physical activity they need. Here are a few tips:
1. Start small – If your child isn’t naturally into sports or physical activity, start by suggesting they try a simple activity like walking around the block. Once they start enjoying it, you can gradually challenge them with more activities.
2. Get creative – There are plenty of fun ways to get your child moving outside of traditional exercise classes or clubs.
3. Stay active – If you feel like your child is already on the go, try setting up a family sports day. This can be as simple as an afternoon of soccer or playing catch in the yard, with all the children pitching in to help.
4. Start Early – Get them involved in physical activity from an early age. Even small amounts of activity will help keep them active and fit as they grow older. Try participating in family fun runs, bike rides, or hikes together.
We Offer Two Great Resources from Our Prism Fitness Team of Experts
We have two great resources to help keep your kids active and healthy throughout the year. Our Start Healthy, Stay Healthy Binder, which works great for homeschool families, afterschool programs, and families that want to help their kids keep moving all school year.
We also have the Summer Get Healthy Challenge for Kids that we know your family will love. You can find it at the bottom of this post or sign up here.
Exercise Ideas to Get Your Kids Moving
Here are 3 types of exercises that you can do with your kids to help them stay healthy and fit along with a pro tip for each.
Yoga or Flexibility Training
1. Yoga is a great exercise for kids. It’s also beneficial for adults. Yoga can help improve your flexibility and strength, as well as give you more energy throughout the day. It also helps kids get in shape and stay healthy, as well as prevent injuries and improve their balance.
Pro Tip: When the weather gets nice take your yoga mat outdoors. Rename some of the stretches to different animals and try different poses that resemble those animals. This is a great way to get fresh air and help your body and mind relax.
Aerobic Exercises
2. Aerobic exercises are great for kids. They give the body a good workout and help them burn a lot of calories. They also get the heart pumping, which is important for overall health.
Pro Tip: Jump Rope. Remember jumping rope on the playground as you sang a song. Teach your kiddos a song that helps them keep a rhythmic time and have fun while jumping. Another fun activity is creating your own pattern and working through the agility ladder. Kids love this activity!
Strength Training
3. Strength training is a great way to build muscles. It’s great for kids because it teaches them how to lift weights and use their muscles, which will help them develop as they get older.
Pro Tip: Strength Training can seem like a daunting task for kids. Start small so they aren’t overstressing their growing muscles. Hand weights while you walk or resistance bands are a great way to start at their level.
Our Start Healthy, Stay Healthy Binder has over 100 activity ideas for kids!
What Should Kids Be Eating?
Encourage your kids to eat balanced meals throughout the day. Make sure they’re getting enough protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to stay healthy on their own terms. The #1 reason why kids get sick is that they don’t have a strong immune system.
Children who eat well also have lower rates of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes than those who don’t eat well. Make sure your child is eating a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein such as chicken, fish, or meat.
You can help your kids become invested in their own healthy eating habits by teaching them what foods their bodies need daily and by allowing them to help create the menu. Help kids become invested in their own healthy choices by helping create a weekly food menu along with finding healthy snacks.
The Start Healthy Stay Healthy Kids Binder has the resources you need to help do just that. Start by creating a food journal to see what you actually eat, then find healthy recipes and create a menu together.
The American Heart Association recommends that children aged 4-8 eat the following foods:
- 2 cups milk/dairy
- 3-4 ounces of lean meat or beans
- 1.5 cups of fruit
- 1-1.5 cups of veggies
- 4-5 ounces of grains
Make sure that your kids get plenty of water. Limiting their intake of surgery drinks will not only help their teeth but will also help keep their whole bodies healthy and functioning at their best.
The Start Healthy Stay Healthy also has 40 Healthy Snack Ideas!
Help Kids Reduce Stress
There are many things that kids are doing today that add to their levels of stress. There are several things that parents can do to help their children reduce stress.
Limit screen time! When children spend a lot of time using screens such as computers, video games, or TV, they don’t get enough exercise and they can develop poor eating and sleeping habits. Too much screen time can lead to sleep deprivation, which is detrimental to the body’s natural healing process.
Get enough sleep! According to the Sleep Foundation, the following is the recommended amount of sleep for kids from newborn to age 13.
| Newborn | 0-3 months old | 14-17 hours |
| Infant | 4-11 months old | 12-15 hours |
| Toddler | 1-2 years old | 11-14 hours |
| Preschool | 3-5 years old | 10-13 hours |
| School-age | 6-13 years old | 9-11 hours |
Take the lead. It’s important for parents to take the lead in helping their children to understand that healthy eating habits are not only good for their bodies, but also for their minds. Find time for downtime. Constantly being on the go doesn’t give your kids room to rest their bodies and minds.
Increase physical activity. Is your child getting the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day? Here is a great post that has 11 Tips to Make Fitness Fun for Kids.
We love sharing our Start Healthy Stay Healthy Binder because it has coloring pages, drawing pages, journaling pages, and a crossword. Just what your kids need to help them find time to unwind. Click on the picture above to sign up for more tips from our team of fitness experts that are parents, like you, and who know why being healthy and fit is important for kids.
Being Healthy and Fit is Important for Kids
Staying healthy and fit is important for kids for a variety of reasons. It helps them maintain a healthy weight, have more energy, and stay focused in school. Plus, it’s a fun way for them to spend their time!
There are many ways to get your kids active, and our team of experts at Prism Fitness has put together two great resources to help you get started. Check them out by clicking on one of the challenges pictured below and get your kids moving today!
Please Note: To get the challenge, click on each link. Don’t worry, you will only be subscribed once.
