10 Ways To Inspire An Active Lifestyle In Your Kids

An active lifestyle is the key to reducing the risk of many deadly diseases later in life, such as heart disorders, diabetes, obesity, etc. As an adult, it takes a lot of effort to develop a habit of workout or sports, especially when you live a sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, Click pharmacy health experts believe that introducing an active lifestyle habit in children may help them maintain it throughout their lives.

Children are naturally energetic –they love running around. Introducing active lifestyle habits in them does not take much effort, but it does take a strategy. If you lead a physically active lifestyle yourself, it won’t take much effort to convince your children to follow in your footsteps. Follow these suggestions to help instil a love for physical activity in your children;

1. Help the kids move early

They say it’s never too late to start, but we say it is never too early either. Start with simple limb massages in the infants to improve blood flow. Then, perform exercises to improve strength and flexibility. Children have flexible but fragile bones –so, be careful with the limits.

2. Make a physical activity part of your family’s daily routine

Having a family dinner creates bonds, but having a physically demanding activity right after dinner helps even more. Go to the local park to take a walk, run a few laps, play catch, or ride bikes. The type of activity doesn’t matter, as long as it makes you sweat and gets your heart racing. Engage in such activities with your kids for at least 15 minutes every day.

3. Give live examples of your own active lifestyle to the kids

Kids almost always learn the most by watching and imitating their parents. Therefore, you should give your kids a demonstration of your physically demanding activities. Run, meditate, practice yoga, play ball, or work out where they may watch. It is not too late to start if you are not physically active.

4. Walk, run, skate, or bike instead of driving

When possible, get your kids moving instead of sitting in the backseat of a car. If the route is safe, instill a habit of walking or bicycling to the school in your kids. It’s easy to create such a habit at an early age. Moreover, this habit will also teach them to be punctual and leave early from home.

5. Let your kids try different physical activities and sports

Kids do not need specialisation in a sport at an early age. They also do not have the necessary mental focus to concentrate all their efforts on developing their talent in a single sport. Therefore, you should not limit them but expose them to a wide range of skills, activities, and sports. Let them have their fun.

6. Offer your praise but do not push

Cheering for your kid in any physical activity or sports can be an enormous motivational tool. Praising them for finishing a lap, completing a course, or putting a ball through the net will give them the confidence to do it better. However, keep the interest balanced, so your kids do not feel you are overly invested in their success, or they may feel undue pressure. Not all kids perform better under pressure.

7. Focus on having fun

Competition invites stress, and stress kills the fun. Not all kids have the proper mental fortitude to face adversity and grow from there. You should introduce an environment that promotes physical activities in a stress-free environment, focusing more on having fun than winning or losing.

8. Spend time outdoors

Going out when bored used to be the default move for the children. Going outdoors also involved some form of physical activity. But nowadays, most kids have too many distractions, like games, computers, cellphones, the internet, etc. It is the parent’s prerogative to create opportunities for the kids to go out and play. Install a few swings, nets, or goals, and encourage the kids to spend their spare time outdoors.

9. Choose a childcare centre that encourages physical activity

When going to work, you should prefer to leave the kids in a childcare centre that encourages age-appropriate activities every day. Kids are naturally energetic, but it takes a dedicated effort to divert their energies positively. They should be encouraged to run, climb, jump, hop, and skip. Both structured and unstructured plays are essential for children to help develop an active lifestyle.

10. Make sure the schools do their part

Schools have an essential role in helping kids develop an active lifestyle. They must encourage physical activity in addition to educating your children. They must have a PE specialist with the necessary skill to engage and motivate children. You can speak to your children’s teachers or principal to introduce appropriate activities. You can even engage other parents and put combined pressure on the school to give in.

Last word

Introducing an active lifestyle in children is a noble goal. But you should not become too worried about the methodology. If nothing comes to mind, simply dance and move on to some lively music. If you can do this much, you are well on your way to achieving your objective.