How can I Encourage My Child to Take Part in Physical Activities?

Children Playing Football In Forest

You are the mom of an energetic and beautiful toddler. 

You extremely love him and want him to stay fit and physically active.

But you find it difficult that he performs enough physical activity that he needs everyday to stay fit.

You are asking this question from you as how can I encourage my child to take part in physical activities.

If this is your story, then we’re here to help you.

As parents, we all know the importance of child physical activities.

Stats show that 1 in 4 children get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity per day.

Due to this, children are causing overweight and are not physically active.

You must understand that your child equally needs physical activity with food and education.

In this blog post, we will provide you some of the best activities to do with your child to encourage physical activity.

You can easily motivate your child and make his habit of physical activity by following these proven tips and strategies.

Daily Physical Activity: Make it Fun!

It’s important to choose physical activities that your babies, toddlers, and preschoolers enjoy.

When children have fun, they’re more likely to continue doing it and become more confident and skilled in their movements.

Physical Activity for Children Aged 0-2 Years

Babies aged 0-12 months need plenty of opportunities for free movement.

They need to play in a safe environment that encourages exploration and skill development.

You can provide indoor or outdoor playtime to help your baby develop big muscles, creativity, and learn about their environment.

Before your child is walking, make sure they get at least 30 minutes of tummy time daily.

It will help them build their head, neck, and upper body muscles.

You can make tummy time fun by playing games, singing, clapping, or using toys like boxes, plastic containers, or objects that rattle.

Ensure that the toys are safe and securely closed.

You can place your baby on a large blanket on the floor or grass outside for a clean and welcoming playtime.

Make sure to look for potential hazards at their level and supervise them.

Physical Activity for Children Once They Start Walking

When your child is walking, encourage them to move around often by providing them with plenty of time out of the stroller or pram.

It’s best for your child to avoid sitting or being restrained for more than an hour at a time.

You can encourage movement by providing objects or activities that promote movement like climbing, walking, or using a tricycle, scooter, or push-along toy.

child’s age group decide which active play or active games and how much physical activity they are required to stay healthy.

Provide your child with playground equipment so that they can perform energetic play get huge health benefits.

Physical Activity for Children Aged 2-5 Years

Toddlers and preschoolers need free time and space to run around and play in different environments.

Here are some ideas to make physical activity fun:

• Use balls of different sizes and textures to catch, hit, bounce, or kick.
• Create games that involve different types of movement like chasing bubbles, walking, running, or skipping along chalk lines, gathering shells, or jumping over puddles or cracks in the ground.
• Play different kinds of music or use your voice or instruments to encourage dancing and a sense of rhythm.
• Invent silly walks or runs with your child and play guess the animal games like running like a monkey, jumping like a bunny, or flapping like a bird.

You can encourage your child to learn how to ride a bike, scooter or tricycle, and play with push toys like trucks, doll prams, or toy lawn mowers under your supervision.

Whenever possible, leave the car or stroller at home and walk with your child to places like the library, park, or shops.

By choosing fun and enjoyable physical activities, you can help your child become more confident and skilled in their movements.

Ideas for Family-Focused Activities

Here are some fun activities that families can do together, either inside or outside:

• Pretend to be different animals like penguins or frogs and imitate their movements.
• Play classic games such as “Duck, duck, goose,” “Ring around the rosy,” or “Follow the leader.”
• Try different movements like jumping, hopping, skipping or walking backwards outside.
• Sing and rock back and forth while holding hands with your child to the tune of “Row, row, row your boat.”
• Make a bridge with your body and let your child crawl under you or climb over you.
• Turn up the music and dance together.
• Play kickball or T-ball outside with the family.
• Play freeze tag or freeze dance for some active fun.
• Organize a treasure hunt by hiding items in the house or backyard.
• Create an obstacle course inside the house with pillows, chairs, boxes, and toys.
• Use a soft foam ball to play catch, kickball, volleyball, basketball, bowling, or soccer, either indoors or outdoors.
• On weekend, perform vigorous intensity activities and bone strengthening activity throughout the day.

If your kids are stuck inside the house on a rainy day, try some of these indoor activities for some fun.

Conclusion

Encouraging physical activity in children is crucial for their overall health and wellbeing.

Sadly, many children today do not get the recommended amount of daily physical activity, leading to overweight and obesity issues.

As a parent, you can help your child stay fit by making physical activity fun and enjoyable for them.

By following these tips and strategies, you can help your child develop confidence and skills in their movements while promoting a healthy and active lifestyle.