5 Ways to Get Kids Excited About Exercising

5 Ways to Get Kids Excited About Exercising

Regular physical exercise is good for our body. Exercise helps keep our weight in check and enables the body to burn any excess calories in a healthy way. It also helps prevent disease and gives the body a chance to strengthen its immune system. On top of that, regular exercise is also good for the mind and can help improve mood.

All of these benefits are great for kids. Recent studies have shown that children who exercise regularly perform better in everyday activities. They are also healthier and more active. I know that not all kids love to get out of the house and exercise, but the five tips we are going to discuss in this article will help get your kids excited about exercising. Let’s have a look, shall we?

Set Their Imagination Free

One of the best and most effective ways to get kids to exercise regularly is by leaning on their imagination. Even young teens get excited about going on an adventure. You can use this to your advantage and make the simple, regular exercises you plan for the kids exciting in their eyes.

Turning a 30-minute walk into a treasure hunt is a great way to start. Instead of a boring walk, your kids will enjoy solving clues and finding new ones. Don’t forget to add a reward at the end of the treasure hunt to complete the experience.

Younger children also love playing lava land at home or outside. You can have the kids jump from furniture to furniture, or you can play the game outside with rocks and other things. Tell them that the ground is lava or fire and turn the whole exercise into a game they enjoy playing.

Use Equipment and Accessories

Another great way to turn regular exercise into an exciting activity is by getting kids excited about the equipment and accessories they use to exercise. My personal favorite is the new generation of fitness trackers designed specifically for kids. Smartwatches can now track steps and other metrics and they come in cute designs that suit children perfectly.

Using a fitness tracker, you can set goals for your children and offer rewards for achieving them. Letting the kids have an extra scoop of ice cream after dinner when they hit 10,000 steps at the end of the day is one way to get started.

Of course, you can get kids excited about other sports accessories too. If your children love swimming, you can reward them with a new swimsuit or outfit. Browse through a catalogue of girls swimwear together and let your little one pick out her own design.

Be Encouraging

Sometimes, all kids need to get involved in regular exercise is some encouragement. We’ve talked about rewards already; rewards are more effective than punishments when it comes to persuading kids to exercise more due to their positive nature.

You can also get the kids involved by setting a good example. Instead of spending time and energy to get your children exercising, exercise with them. Lead by example and plan activities that the kids can also do. A walk around the neighborhood or competitive sports that you can play together can be the perfect type of exercise to do.

Don’t forget to guide your children too. The most effective exercises are those done properly, which is why you need to be willing to spend time assisting your children as they learn to exercise properly.

Maintain a Schedule

Getting started is always the most difficult part. After a while, however, kids will follow the exercise routine they are comfortable with naturally. All you have to do is make sure they stick to the exercise schedule for at least 14 consecutive days or sessions.

Maintaining a schedule helps turn the exercise into a habit or a routine. The 14-session mark is where most kids start to accept the exercise as a regular yet fun thing to do. If you can make it to the 14-session mark, you will see fewer objections the next time you persuade your children to exercise with you.

Limit Screen Time

The biggest obstacle of them all is the wealth of entertainment your kids can now get from digital devices. The more they are glued to the iPad or TV, the harder it is to get them to exercise. It is not surprising that children nowadays find watching TV shows or playing video games to be more fun than playing outside.

To get over this challenge, you have to be willing to limit your children’s screen time. It takes time and there will be resistance, but use the previous tips we covered in this article to help persuade your kids to exercise more. It won’t take long before the kids start to find exercising fun.