So how do you motivate your kids to exercise? They won't do it for the sake of doing it. In my kids' case, it is all a matter of goal setting. If they don't see an end game or a reward for the effort, then they don't get up. I'm the same way. I found out long ago that I enjoy entering races not because I have dreams of winning first place or setting new records. But because I put money down to enter, and by George I'm going to train for it because I don't want to waste the entry fee.
That reason goes over my kids' heads. So here are some suggestions that have worked for us.
1. Disguise the activity as fun. To get the benefit of exercise, young kids don't need it to be organized. Playing outdoors and making up adventures can require a lot of stamina, some heavy lifting and good cardio. For younger kids, playing games like "duck, duck, goose" or "red light, green light" are fun ways to get them moving. Take older kids on scavenger hunt hikes, or just bike around the neighborhood to see who else is out.
2. Use it as a break when studying. When sitting for a long time in front of a computer, book, or screen have them take a five minute jumping jack break, jog in place, or yoga stretches. It's good for the eyes to focus on different distances to prevent eye strain. It's good for the circulation to move about. Not all exercise has to be done in one sitting to be beneficial.
3. Connect it to a larger goal. My son was going a long trip with his dad where there would be a lot of walking. So to get his feet prepared, we did regular hikes as a family to build up his endurance and condition his feet. Which was good, as you can see in the picture above, he had no problem entering a 5K walk with me.
4. Make it a social event. My family is a big believer in being part of a team sport. Not only that they learn the value of what they contribute helps more than just themselves, they have a schedule they look forward to each week. For my son, the friends on the team are the major reason why he still goes to practice.
5. Link it to a reward. Marathon Kids has a great program. The kids run/walk a mile at a time until they complete a marathon length distance. At the end they are recognized with awards and certificates for completing such a great achievement. Offering a reward for a measurable goal is another way to get my kids moving. Sometimes it is as simple as, let's go for a bike ride for 30 minutes and I'll let you play video games a little earlier.
6. Challenge them with a competition. For some kids, having an event does motivate them to train/exercise to be prepared. Our neighborhood just adopted a youth swim team. I was amazed at the dedication of these young kids to wake up early each morning to train when they could be catching a few more zzzzz. In talking with them after the meets, they said yes, sometimes it was hard for them to wake up, but they said it was worth it to make them better swimmers for the meets because they wanted to take home a medal.
Whatever gets them moving, go for it. It will help their health in the long run and hopefully it will be a habit they keep for a lifetime.
Hi, I'm April Aguren and I'm your Busy Momma. I am a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom who works from home, helping families save time, save money, be healthy and be happy with a little humor on the side. My goal is to educate families on healthier ways of living that can boost your personal and financial wealth. I spend a lot of the web searching out ways to help save money, eat better, be healthier, and add more fun to my family. I started Busy Mommas to share with you what I find and have fun along the way. Keep up the fun and connect with me on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/busymommas
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