With only 19% of children getting the required 60 minutes of activity per day it is up to us the parents/ care givers to get our children moving more. These days parents are working extra, time poor and sometimes doing “more” just doesn’t seem possible.
The following 5 tips will help your child increase their activity levels while not adding to your already overloaded plate. Being involved with your child’s activity is never a bad idea, and you can see some of those ideas HERE, but sometimes it’s certainly nice to have that bit of me time.
Tip #1
Sign your child up for an after-school team sport. This is an obvious choice, but sport may not be for your child (see this blog). Sure, you have to play taxi to get your child to training and games but what are you doing during those times? Your health is as important as your child’s so is there a chance to go get walking while your child does their training? Remember to communicate with your little one so they know you are there when they might not see you (this will be at different ages for each child). In a 30-minute session you can get yourself a 20-minute walk plus a 10-minute stretching and breathing session. After training has finished you feel great and relaxed and your little one is happy. Win-win.
Tip #2
Organise a play date with your child’s friend or even a neighbour. This is where kids do their best creative and imaginative play. When they have free rein to be a kid and just play. If all you have to do is feed them every so often what a great opportunity to do whatever you like.
Tip #3
If team sport isn’t for your child then activities like swimming, ninja training or parkour are a great option. Swimming is a huge part of Australian lifestyle. With many families having pools plus all of the magnificent beaches it is a vitally important skill and is great for fitness. Ninja training and parkour teach some many important developmental skills and also teaches kids how to jump and land/fall safely. With classes 30-60 minutes in duration, this class format also gives you a chance to get your steps up, stretch or just breathe. Even though other parents will be hunched over deep in the phone doesn’t mean you have to be.
Tip #4
I know you are going to love this one. Get your child to do some of the household chores! Picking up the dog mess, carrying in the shopping, hanging out the washing and pulling out the weeds really help your child develop strength. If your child is old enough, walking the dog is a great way to get your child’s steps up. Of course, you may need to play the pocket money game with some of the chores, but it is absolutely worth it. Saving you time and effort while your child increases their activity.
Tip #5
Make screen time active. With so many options for online kids’ fitness workouts head over to Youtube and see which you child likes. The negative to Youtube is the ads that you can’t control. The Kids Coach website has over 100 kids fitness and wellness videos which are always ad free. Kids simply choose their age category, press play and workout. You can get free 7 day trial HERE.
Parent life can absolutely be full on. Using these tips, I hope you feel like you can not only add more activity into your child’s day but also get some quality me time. You are the barometer for your children so never feel guilty for looking after you J