ENJOY EXERCISE WITH YOUR CHILD
ENJOY EXERCISE WITH YOUR CHILDREN
Exercise is important for children to develop healthy bodies. Even infants need exercise. Why is it so important that children get a lot on exercise? Here are five good reasons for children to get exercise:
• Fighting obesity: It is estimated that nearly 25 million children in the United States are overweight or at risk for becoming overweight. (CDC)
• Prevention of diabetes: A child born today has a one in three chance of contracting diabetes during his lifetime. (CDC)
• Living longer: The Institute of Medicine predicts today’s children will be the first generation in history to die at a younger average age than their parents. They will also be more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and sleep apnea.
• Stronger bodies: Physical activity isn’t just good for the heart. It helps build strong bones and muscles, improves motor skills and coordination, reduces weight, lowers blood pressure, and improves a child’s mood.
• Happier kids: Often overweight children have low self-esteem, in part because they get teased about their appearance and have a harder time making friends.
As a busy parent it is often hard to schedule exercise time with your child. Some parents give these reasons why scheduling exercise time is difficult: Available space, difficult weather conditions, not enough hours in the day, children are tired when you pick them up, and you are exhausted at the end of the day. These are all very real and good reasons. However, when you consider that the health and well-being of your child it is your responsibility to talk with your childcare provider to learn how they schedule exercise into their program. Be specific and ask questions like:
• How much exercise does my child get during the day?
• Do you have exercise time scheduled into you daily activities?
• Does my child go outside everyday (weather permitting)
• What activities do they do outside?
• Have you scheduled age-appropriate active time for my infant?
• Ask about the equipment and toys that encourage activity.
• How much time is spent watching TV or on computer?
Weekends or days off are wonderful times for you to engage in exercise with your child. Even though you have a multitude of chores that you must take care of on days off, it can be a healthy and rewarding time for both you and your child to engage in an active time together. Here are some things you could do:
• Start walking. Children can walk throughout your home with music in the background. Take walks around your yard. Take walks around your neighborhood.
• Give children other options like doing push-ups or counting how many times they can bend and touch their toes.
• Spring is the perfect time to plant a garden. Children can become involved by digging holes, planting, watering, and weeding which are all good forms of exercise.
• Put some music on and dance together.
If it is hard to schedule a full 60 minutes in one activity, break it up into smaller exercise sessions.
INFANTS
Infants need the freedom to move around and explore their environment. Avoid keeping them in strollers, stationary walkers, highchairs and car seats for long periods of time. You need to schedule tummy time for infants at least two, ten to fifteen minute periods of supervised tummy time a day. Exercises that engage the infant in socialization and play are needed.
For example: Try games like peek a boo, pat-a-cake, and the Itsy Bitsy Spider. Baby gyms can also make floor time more fun. Rattles, soft balls and squeeze toys are great to keep infants active while encouraging them to crawl. Push toys help older babies learn to walk. Make sure you have a safe place for older infants to pull themselves up to a standing position. For example: You can place padded material over a low coffee table. Never leave your infant alone unsupervised.
TODDLERS
By the time toddlers turn two they need a minimum of 30 to 60 minutes of active playtime every day and should not be sedentary for more than an hour at a time (unless they’re asleep). Toddlers love to walk, run, and climb. Keep them going with chasing games and songs that encourage movement. For example: Ring Around the Rosy and Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes. Remember that the ability to run.
For example, is a developmental milestone and should be encouraged when appropriate. Toddlers love kicking and throwing balls back and forth and dancing to music. Soft balls and bats, pull-toys, mini strollers, plastic slides, ride-on-toys, and tricycles are all good additions. Older preschoolers may be ready to try to play ball, have them try hitting, throwing and catching a balloon or a big ball.
Your good example is what will make a difference. If you demonstrate to your child physical activity is a fun and healthy way to spend their time, you are providing a great example. If you are upbeat and physically active, children will begin to see activity as the norm rather than the exception. Your child will take their lead from you.