FortMyersBeachTalk.com
Getting kids to put down video games and have fun being active is not an easy task. Gone are the days when you couldn’t get your kids off of the jungle gym for lunchtime. When you suggest that your children go outside to play, you’re met with a chorus of groans, “But I was just about to make it to level 85 of Wild Dungeon Escape!”
Monique Vranesh, founding partner of My Gym Enterprises, has put together some tips on how to keep kids active during the summer. Monique was instrumental in the formation of the company, which is the leader in children’s fitness with 175 locations throughout the U.S. She gained national recognition for her role as the teacher in “My Gym at Home,” BabyFirstTV’s physical fitness show. As the devoted mother of two young daughters, Monique is thrilled to see her own children benefit from the unique program she helped create.
One of the biggest problems these days is that video game and computer users are getting younger and younger. Kids as young as three years-old are picking up the joysticks and clicking away at computers, especially if they have older siblings whom they wish to emulate. It’s important to catch kids at an early age to teach them about fitness. Monique encourages parents to get creative when it comes to getting their kids moving. Below are just a few suggestions she has for frustrated parents.
n 1. Walk whenever possible; to the parks, to the library, to school, etc. When driving park farther away and walk to your destination.
n 2. Make walking more fun: Collect different objects (flowers, leaves, etc); play Eye Spy or The Color Game. Do tree bark rubbings, leave imprints; count different objects; sing songs; take a teddy bear or baby for a walk in a wagon or stroller with you.
n 3. Play fun outdoor games in your own backyard:
a. Follow the Leader and do different things jump, skip, walk like a duck, etc.
b. Hopscotch buy a mat or use chalk or tape to make the squares.
c. Hoola Hoop even if your child can’t do it, you can jump in and out of it, roll it, drive the giant wheel, make it a space ship around you.
n 4. Dance: This is a super fun way to get them moving and they love it and work up a sweat. Put on their favorite songs and cut a rug.
Monique invites parents and babies everywhere to play together, have fun and discover the many advantages of a steady exercise routine. To learn more about My Gym, or to find a location, visit www.mygym.com.
