|
|
 |
|
|
| |
* Find a My Gym for kids near your home now!
Friday, December 28, 2007
Every parents wants healthy children, but sometimes keeping up with their activities can be hard work. When you've been working hard all day, you'll often find that you just don't have the energy to keep up with active, enthusiastic kids. You may not feel that it's safe to let them play outside on their own. For the busy parent who can't afford to enroll kids in formal sporting classes, children's exercise groups can make all the difference.
Children's exercise groups are easy to organize. If you don't know enough other parents with kids of a similar age to yours, try putting a notice up at the local school and getting together a group that way. Even if you have just five participating adults, that's one for each day of the week.
You don't need any special skills, just enthusiasm for sport or active games - if you're not sure what to do to keep the kids happy, ask them for their input. In most clubs of this sort, the adults quickly find that their varying interests and abilities means the kids have something different to do each night of the week.
Exercise clubs are exciting for kids and provide them with social opportunities as well as keeping them fit. They don't need to be as strongly goal-orientated as more formal groups and they can leave plenty of room for creative play. When you participate in an exercise club you'll find that you've a lot on your hands one day a week, but the rest of the week you'll have time to yourself when you can really relax and do your own thing - knowing that, in the meantime, your kids are keeping fit and having a great time.
Exercise groups can be organized practically anywhere that there's room to play, so start talking to your friends and neighbors and see if you can come up with a system that makes your lives easier whilst putting fun and fitness first for your kids.Labels: childrens, exercise, fitness, fun, gym
<<
Blog
Home <<
Previous
Page <<
Home
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Some forms of children's exercise never seem to go out of fashion. Amongst girls, nothing beats the enduring popularity of skipping, even if it may look a bit different from the way it did when you were a child.
Many women can remember the day they were given their first skipping rope. Practicing at home is a great way to build up coordination and timing as well as improving reflexes. It strengthens the calf muscles, keeps the knees in good shape and provides excellent aerobic exercise, helping to develop a healthy heart and lungs. Children don't tend to see skipping as exercise - it's a game, a fun thing to do alone or with friends - but it'll get them in good shape for other kinds of sport.
Modern skipping equipment looks quite different from the old stuff and can be a good way to get kids interested. Skipping ropes now come in a range of bright colors, including twisted rainbow shades, and many have handles which glow or flash when the rope is used. Consult your child to make sure you get something appropriately fashionable.
An impressive skipping rope will be taken to school to be used in multiple player games, encouraging still more kids to get involved. It can help to make your child popular in the playground as well as providing valuable children's exercise.
Skipping may seem old fashioned, but the simple toys are often the best. It can be a particularly effective way to encourage girls to get physical because it won't conflict with their desire to be seen as appropriately feminine.
Many girls are reluctant to join in popular sports, but skipping will suit their image of themselves and will help them to stay in shape. It's fashionable with everyone from pop stars to movie idols, so make sure they don't miss out. A skipping rope costs very little but it can make a big difference to your child's life.Labels: childrens, exercise, fitness, gym, gymnasium, kids
<<
Blog
Home <<
Previous
Page <<
Home
Thursday, December 20, 2007
It's easy to let kids get away with things. We all have a tendency to spoil our children - to let them lie that little bit longer in bed, to feed them more treats than we really think they should have, and to accept their excuses when we know the real reason they don't want to exercise is simply that they don't want to make the effort.
It's easy to indulge them like this because we can relate to the desire to be lazy and to overeat, but part of the reason we feel that desire is that we're not in perfect condition ourselves.
If we'd been more active as children, we'd find it easy to get out of bed in the mornings feeling bright and alert. We'd enjoy healthy foods and physical work would leave us feeling good. If this seems like wishful thinking, bear in mind that it has a strong scientific basis. fitness for kids provides fitness for life.
We now know that good health in childhood can have major effects on the way our bodies develop as we get older - even if we're not able to keep up that level of exercise in later life. People who are healthy as children generally stay slimmer as adults and have a reduced risk of metabolic conditions like diabetes. They're less likely to suffer from heart problems or respiratory problems, and even some cancers are significantly rarer. Overall, they can live five to ten years longer.
Fitness for kids encourages good habits and also helps to develop a metabolism which is geared toward activity, helping people who enjoy exercise in childhood to remain active for a larger proportion of their lives.
There are lots of things we can do to improve our health as adults, but we'll never have the advantages we could enjoy if we'd exercised more and eaten better when we were children. Still, whilst we're unable to change this for ourselves, we can make things better for the next generation.
Naturally we want the best for our children, but we need to understand that indulging them in the short term might not be the most appropriate solution. Encouraging them to be active, even if they sulk a bit at the time, will give them gifts they'll be very grateful for in later life.Labels: childrens, exercise, fitness, gym, kids
<<
Blog
Home <<
Previous
Page <<
Home
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Children's birthday parties are always potentially fraught. The child whose birthday it is will often have been excited for days, not sleeping properly and building up expectations of the big day which it's simply impossible to satisfy.
Meanwhile, guests may find it difficult to spend a whole afternoon or evening focusing on somebody else, and may start to get jealous of the attention the birthday child is receiving. Combine this with high-energy activities, social pressure and an excess of sugary foods, and it's a wonder everybody doesn't lose it.
It's rare to get through a children's birthday party without somebody throwing a tantrum, so you should always do what you can to prepare for it in advance. The first and most important thing is to isolate the unhappy child from the others. You don't want that unhappiness spreading. You also don't want other children seeing the difficult child get attention - it sets a bad example and makes them feel as if they're losing out on account of being good.
Set aside a quiet room and take the unhappy child there. It's a good idea to have some calming things in this room - bears to hug, perhaps, and provision for quiet activities like reading or drawing. Make sure there's a comfortable place to lie down with a pillow and a blanket, so that the child can have a nap if they need one. Don't insist that they try to sleep - they'll deny that they're tired - but offer them the option.
It's important to make a child throwing a tantrum feel that you're concerned for them without making them feel rewarded. Don't shy away from being patronizing in your approach - be kind to them, but treat them as you would a younger child, so that they know the impression they've made on you is one of being babyish.
Place the responsibility firmly on them to behave themselves better if they want to be respected, and make t clear that rejoining the fun of the party depends on good behavior. Many children will only need a bit of space in which to calm down before they understand that this is true.
Don't forget, birthday parties are tiring for everyone, so give yourself the opportunity to take breaks, too. You don't want to end up feeling like you're about to throw a tantrum yourself!Labels: activities, birthday, fun, kids, parties, party
<<
Blog
Home <<
Previous
Page <<
Home
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Are you having difficulty getting your child to exercise? A lot of children love the sporting look but don't want to make the effort to get involved in active pursuits. One way to help improve fitness for kids can be to encourage them to develop their look. If they're going to have the clothes, they ought to try and make a good impression on them.
Adults tend to think of fashion as something which only becomes important during the teenage years, but young children are highly conscious of what they wear and the impression it makes. Sport-style clothing is very popular and having the latest such clothing - and especially footwear - is important in making an impression on other kids. Often these clothes are expensive and children will beg to get them.
Encourage your kids to prove how much they need sporting clothes by demonstrating that they have a real use for them. If they want running shoes, they can earn them by taking up running-based activities. This will help them to develop a positive work ethic at the same time as improving their health.
Fitness for kids is, ultimately, all about helping them to grow up with healthy bodies, but when they're young they won't value health as much as appearance. Connecting the two makes it easier for them to make healthy choices. What's more, a pair of running shoes which has been earned will always be treasured more than a gift. Children will know that their fashionable sporting clothes reflect their own achievements.
Pride in these achievements will ensure that they feel confident whenever they're wearing their new gear. They'll also look a lot more impressive if they're the right shape for the body-conscious clothes they're dressing up in. Flabby, overweight kids in sporting gear will only be a subject of ridicule. Don't just give them what they want to wear - help them to wear it well.Labels: activities, childrens, exercise, fitness, kids
<<
Blog
Home <<
Previous
Page <<
Home
Friday, December 07, 2007
Children are always excited by the festive season. There are presents to look forward to, and visiting relatives, and everybody (on the surface at least) is in a good mood. But this excitement can lead to trouble. If there's fierce winter weather outside, your kids may have nowhere to run around and burn off their excess energy.
They may end up being just another source of stress when you've already got far too much to deal with. Here are some simple seasonal games you can get your kids playing to keep them happy no matter what the weather's like.
1. Patchwork Elephants. This is a great way to use up old scraps of wrapping paper. Start by drawing the outline of an elephant, as big as possible, on a plain sheet of paper. Then cut shapes from different pieces of paper and glue them on to make a colorful body. Remember to give him distinct ears, tusks and eyes, as well as a long wiggly trunk.
2. Mini Snow Sculptures. When the now is too deep, or it's just too cols, for playing outside, why not bring a bit of snow into the house? Kept in a plastic container such a washbasin, it'll take a surprisingly long time to melt, and in the meantime you can build miniature snowmen and igloos out of it - or whatever takes your fancy!
3. For the Birds. Encourage your children to think about how birds live in winter, what it's like for them and what they need. Books and the internet can help with this. They can make up a special seasonal food mixture for the birds using kitchen leftovers, nuts, seeds and raisins.
4. Santa's Sleigh. Draw a Christmas sleight, then get each child in turn to name an item which might be given as a present. The next child has to draw that item so that it balances on the sleigh. Challenge your kids to see how much Santa's sleigh can carry in one go.
With all these activities for kids keeping them busy, your only worry will be getting them to go to sleep at night whilst they wait for their presents to arrive.Labels: activities, childrens, fun
<<
Blog
Home <<
Previous
Page <<
Home
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Keeping fit through walking is something we tend to associate with elderly people and invalids who don't have many other options. It may sound odd to suggest that walking can be a good form of children's exercise, but that's part of why it matters - because it shouldn't seem like exercise, it should become a part of day to day life.
Most people take up exercise routines at some point in life, and most people break them. It can be hard to stick to a routine when going through changes in life, hard to find time for a structured exercise session within a busy schedule. Walking is something we can do all the time. We may be able to walk to and from school or work; or walk to the shops; or take a stroll on a quiet day to enjoy some fresh air.
But most of us rarely do these things. We get used to using cars when we're children and we stick with them all our lives, using our legs as little as possible. This is one of the leading causes of ill health and obesity. We're simply not using our bodies the way we're meant to.
Getting into the habit of walking when young is a great way to establish healthy life patterns which will stick. But walking for children isn't the same as it is for adults. Simply being smaller, children have to work a lot harder to keep up. This means that, for young children, walking can be quite an energetic form of exercise. For this reason you should plan walks to include rest stops, giving your children a chance to recover and making sure that they don't find the experience unpleasant. Let them set the pace.
Walking is an ideal form of children's exercise because it keeps them it whilst getting them into good habits. It's also something you can do together, giving you quality time in which to bond with your child.Labels: childrens, fitness, kids
<<
Blog
Home <<
Previous
Page <<
Home
|
|
|
|