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Motivating Your Little Couch Potatoes
Children are spending more of their leisure time sitting in front of a television or computer. As a result, more children today are less fit or weigh more than they used to.
Exercise helps children control their weight, strengthen bones, and reduce their heart risks later in life. But even if your child has gym class at school, it may not be enough.
Children need at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week. The time can be broken into shorter periods during the day and still be effective.
So What Can a Parent Do?
 Tame the tube. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends no more than one to two hours of quality television and videos a day for older children, and no screen time for children younger than 2 years. In the evenings, take family walks or bike rides instead.
Encourage children to walk the dog or do yard work and other chores. These activities burn calories and offer other health benefits.
Buy toys that make kids move, such as sports equipment and active games.
If the weather becomes a problem, try renting an exercise video especially for children.
Instead of driving your child to a friend’s house in the neighborhood, have them walk or ride their bike there.
Look at your own lifestyle. Are you getting enough exercise? One study found that children whose parents were not active were more likely to be inactive themselves. Plan family outings that involve exercise. Go skating on a Sunday afternoon, or have a picnic and play volleyball.
If you have a toddler or a young child, take a trip to the local playground or gym.
Organize a play group so your children can play hopscotch, jump rope, or Frisbee with other children.
Check out your community recreation center to see if there are clubs or sports teams available for your child’s age group. Sign up children for a sport aimed at their age group.
Encourage your children who aren’t interested in team sports to try bicycling, swimming, in-line skating, skateboarding, or martial arts.
Although some studies have found weight training to be safe for children, the AAP recommends that children wait until their bodies have reached full development, usually between ages 15 and 18 years.
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