Kids: Keep Their Muscles Moving!

Daily physical activity helps children enjoy stronger bones and muscles, along with lower levels of body fat. Beyond enrolling your child in team sports, there are plenty of ways to keep your young ones from turning into couch potatoes. Here are a few free or minimum cost activities:

• When the weather is nasty and the kids are stuck inside, set up an indoor treasure hunt that gets them moving from room to room. Take the treasure hunt outside the next time the sun starts to shine.
• Park farther away when you take trips to the grocery store, and let your child be commander of the shopping cart.
• Let your child try a drop-in yoga class. Yoga studios are offering classes for kids and teens. If there’s a studio in your area, let your child take a class or two for exposure to different fitness options.
• Turn up the stereo and get an impromptu dance party started!
• Before sitting down to dinner, play a round of tag.
• Take a family bike ride.
• Make it a family affair when it’s time to walk the dog.
• Turn chores into a timed race with fun prizes. Challenge your kids to finish household chores in record time to earn rewards – such as a swimming trip in summer or a sledding outing during the snowy winter months.
• Stock the fridge with healthy snacks. Healthy eating is an important part of staying healthy no matter what your age. Fill the fridge and kitchen cabinets with a wide variety of tasty but good-for-you snacks, so you can be confident your kids aren’t consuming empty calories that will weigh them down.

Staying fit can be fun, and when it involves the whole family, everyone benefits!