How to make exercise fun for kids

Obesity is a growing problem throughout the world and both young and old are affected equally. The reason behind the problem is the growing love for the digital world and ignoring the importance of outdoor play. Sure it’s hard to get the kids moving during those times when they’re glued to the screens, but believe it or not, it’s worth a try. Not only can you let them move, but you can also make exercise fun for them in the following ways.

Yoga

Yoga is one of the best ways to curb obesity and keep your children healthy and active. You don’t need any fancy commercial play equipment, all you need is a little space and a rug and you’re good to go. You must know how to perform yoga and how it improves flexibility, develops coordination and improves strength. Let me tell you how you can make it fun!

Let the children imitate animal poses while doing yoga, such as a cow, a lion or a cat. If that seems difficult, you can try making yoga a story. For example, you would talk about the trees in the story and your children would do the tree pose or you would talk about a snake and they would act like a cobra. They can even get out of their mats for a few seconds and make interesting sounds.

Outdoor and indoor activities

You can perform indoor and outdoor obstacle courses with them. There are times when you just can’t let your kids out, whether it’s due to bad weather or due to exams. Inside, you can try a pillow, line up a jump rope, cans or bottles, or a hula hoop. Put several pillows vertically and ask your children to jump 10 times. You can try similar activities with jump ropes and other items I mentioned.

Now, let’s talk about outdoor obstacle courses! When you take your child to a playground, give him some challenges, such as swinging ten times, running and covering the entire jungle gym, climbing the ladder or a climbing wall. Ask him to take all of these challenges at once and check in with you. Also, you can do obstacle courses on your own, like tying a rope somewhere or using skate bases.

If you can’t try any of these, try using adult exercises and turn it into an obstacle course. It sounds strange? Well, you can try doing push-ups yourself and ask your child to jump on you when he is up. This is not only safe, but also a lot of fun!

Parent Directed

Children crave parental attention and are more interested in adult things. Instead of leaving them alone to play, it would be better if you join them. You can do simple things like take a walk with them, play their favorite music and dance or play catch. Additionally, you can also look up age specifications at your gym and take your kids to group classes with you.