Tips for physical activity for kids

How does physical activity help a child?

Research suggests that children in the preschool age (ages three through five) benefit from being physically active throughout the day as this aids in their growth and development. If you are a parent or caregiver of a child that age, you have a big role in aiding the kids to get physical activity.

If you are taking care of preschoolers, ensure that they get around 3 hours of physical activity every day. The activities can range from light to moderate and vigorous activities. If you are a caregiver of children between ages six through seventeen (school-going age), ensure they have at least one hour of physical activity per day. Experts suggest that activities for this age range should be moderate or vigorous in intensity. They may include activities such as playing basketball, jumping rope, soccer, or bicycling.

Also, you can prefer Rope Swing that make your kids physically fit.

How can you help your child be more active?

There are several ways to help;

• The best way to encourage children to engage in physical activities and routines you have in place for; them is to be a role model for them. Once they see you getting physically active and having fun, they are more likely to gradually like it and keep doing it.
• If you are playing a favorite sport or doing activities like dancing, involve the whole family.
• Focus on having fun. For instance, you can take walks during your trips to the park or the zoo.
• Ensure you include the children in activities that involve the family such as walking the dog, cleaning the house, or washing the car.
• If you can afford to sign up your children for after-school programs for activities they enjoy, you can do that. Start them with www.soccerstarsacademy.co.uk/toddler-football-classes. Activities that have lessons are another great option.
• Play team sports with your children and involve them in dance video games that get them moving. Paintball and other similar team sports might come to mind. While this is fun, safety should be your concern(and that makes a lot of mess). Checking good alternatives like water gel gun online should be enough.
• Share tips with your children on how to get physically active, while also getting active yourself.
• Reduce screen time that requires inactivity. Minimize activities that reduce your child’s playtime such as using computers, TVs, tablets, or phones.

Pediatricians suggest that caregivers should limit the time their children use digital media when they are not doing homework. For children between the ages of two and five, the appropriate amount of screen time is one hour. For children that are six years and older, it is advisable to set consistent limits for time spent on media. It enables them to have sufficient time for physical activity, healthy behaviors, play, and sleep.

Here are some tips that will reduce your child’s screen time

• Do not reward your child using screen time. Find other kinds of rewards.
• Set a day for a family game night where all children switch off their screens in your home.
• Ensure that meal times do not involve eating in front of a screen. Eating meals without media time is best.
• Do not have devices in the children’s rooms that will deter them from physical activities. Remove devices such as TVs from your child’s bedroom.
• Have designated media-free places in your home such that certain rooms to ensure the children engage in other activities.