Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Healthy Habits: Kids and Fitness

Do you want to start your day with a quick activity to get blood moving, or break up homework time so kids aren't sitting so long? Many kids love the excitement of competitions and games. So try picking some easy things to do, setting a timer for a minute, and see who can do the most in a minute. Or, pick an exercise and see who can do it the longest. Easy exercise everyone can do include: hopping on one foot, jumping, running in place, jumping jacks, sit-up, arm circles - there are many more! Use your creativity, or let your kids pick some.

Physical activity is important. The current guideline is 60 minutes per day - but it doesn't have to be sports. Any game or activity that gets the body moving counts. A family walk, running around the backyard, a nature scavenger hunt - all of those things count. When the weather is bad, you can use things like exercise balls, portable tunnels, balance disks, and more to create challenges and obstacle courses to get your kids moving indoors.

And don't forget nutrition. Even if your kids are active, overindulging on unhealthy food won't do them any favors.

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