Our little ones run like crazy during recess and whenever they hit the backyard or a park.  They certainly seem like little balls of energy, happy to swing from trees or jungle gyms.  But how much exercise do they need a day?  What type should they get?

The Center for Disease Control recommends one hour of exercise per day for school age children.  This can be divvied up throughout the day, so gym class certainly counts, and recess too.  But once your kid leaves the school grounds it’s up to you.  Here are some ideas:

Let ‘em run around after school. If you pick up your kid directly from school, let them run around for a few minutes afterwards.  It’s a great way for your child to destress.  Likely there will be a friend or two around and they can play with them.  My son is a big fan of the playground right after school and it helps to transition him to his homework once we do get home.  A good 20 minutes is usually all you need.  If your child goes to an after school program because you work, try to pick a program that focuses on getting the kids outside and moving.

Plan family activities. Throw the ball around after dinner, go for a hike on the weekend, or have soccer practice at your local park.  Choose activities that all members of your family can participate in from the wee ones to the adults.  Whether or not you make it a friendly competition all depends on your family dynamics.

Sign up for group sports. By working with other children at their level, they’ll improve their game, sense of self-esteem, and ability to negotiate and act with proper decorum, all great things for a kid to learn while they’re having fun.  Of course the go-to sports are soccer, baseball, football, and various forms of martial arts, but let your child take the lead.  If he or she wants to do something creative, let them give it a go.  Golf might seem like an adult sport, but hey, Tiger Woods started when he was 2.

Variety, lots of variety. It’s easy for parents to get into a trap of doing the same sport over and over again.  You know the routine, you’ve got the practices figured out, and you can hang on the sidelines with the other parents.  But let your kid try lots of different sports.  The risk of injury and overtraining is significantly lower and they might hit upon a sport that they really excel at.  Encourage them to try lots of different things until they find their niche.  If it’s a combination of different activities that’s great.

Let them evolve over time. Maybe they were soccer fans when they were in grammar school but high school hits and that six inch growth spurt has them interested in basketball.  Let ‘em try new sports as they get older.  I have a tall son and he’s happy with soccer for now, but I’m hoping to introduce him to crew (my high school sport) and lacrosse, both sports I think he’ll like and do well in.

By the way, if you’re worried about your child’s weight-to-height ratio, you can check his BMI here.  If you do have a weight problem with your child, talk to their pediatrician and start working on getting them moving more.

What do you do for fun with your kids?  What family activities do you do together that work up a sweat?  Would love to hear your stories…

Lisa

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