What do you do if your child won’t exercise? How do you teach them the benefits of exercise for children?

About a generation ago (20 years), a tremendous change took place that forever altered the lives of many. What am I talking about? I’m referring to the rise of personal computers and gaming systems. It seems these days that children’s fingers get much more exercise than their bodies do… sure, they’ll have good strong finger muscles, until they hit about 50 when their hands are all twisted into claws from arthritis.

Children in previous generations always exercised. It wasn’t called exercise, it was called ‘play’ and was a normal part of life but this is no longer the case. Children are surrounded by so many forms of instant entertainment that many have forgotten the joys of active, outdoor play. As humans we need to exercise and children should always be encouraged to take part in some form of exercise in order to reap the benefits of exercise for children.

Most parents today remember school days when they were constantly in the playground kicking a ball, skipping or engaging in other activities. Then there was physical education (PE) included in the school curriculum. We also tended to walk to and from school.

So what are the benefits of exercise for children? The benefits are many, including both physical and emotional benefits including:

1. Physical fitness: Strong muscles, good endurance and flexibility
2. Physical appearance: Leaner, more toned appearance so the child is less likely to be teased about their appearance
3. Health benefits: Less chance of diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Good cholesterol (HDL) levels are increased by exercise and HDL combats bad cholesterol (LDL)
4. Improved self image
5. Improved sleeping patterns due to physical fatigue
6. Reduced stress levels: Exercise produces hormones called endorphins which create feelings of wellbeing. Endorphins are the body’s natural analgesic and anti depressant
7. Improved concentration: Exercise improves brain function by making us more alert and academic progress can thereby be improved

So how do we encourage children to exercise? One of the best ways is to exercise with them.

Walking: It may not be safe for children to walk to school anymore but if a parent is available to walk with them it improves security dramatically. Or, you could go for a family nature walk once a month

Cycling: Why not purchase a cheap, second hand bicycle for yourself, pack a healthy picnic and ride as a family to a nice park somewhere. It is a great way to have fun and exercise at the same time. I ride with my daughter at least once per week, weather permitting of course.

Dancing: Children love dancing, just play a music CD or DVD and watch them dance. If you have very young children buy some of these great activity DVD which calls for children to dance along with their favorite characters. Alternatively, you could do dance aerobics or zumba (a Latin American dance class aimed at fitness). You’ll have heaps of fun, a good giggle and be shaking away those excess pounds at the same time.

Swimming: Swimming is another great exercise and one that could save your children’s lives. It is an ideal family activity. Go swimming and have fun but make sure you swim and use those muscles. Although you are weightless in water, you will probably be surprised at just how tired your muscles are when you climb out of the pool

Gym: A gym membership is another option (though a potentially costly one). Talk to the gym trainers before making this decision. Ensure they are qualified to train children. Children’s bodies work differently to adults and they will require a personally tailored exercise program designed just for them. The trainer will need to consider whether the child has exercised before. If their only exercise has been the fingers they use to operate the gamepad, joystick or computer keyboard then they will have to be taught how to warm up otherwise injury may occur.

Nintendo Wii: Yes, a gaming console! Since children these days are so into their video games then why not utilize something they are interested in? There are plenty of games for the Wii that will get the whole family active and having a hoot of a time together including Wii Sports.

While you may not enjoy exercising you should try not to pass bad exercise habits on your children. Nobody wants to see their children become obese and suffer from the host of medical ailments associated with being overweight… especially not because of lack of exercise.

One of the most important aspects of exercise is discussing your child’s exercise preferences with them. Don’t pressure them to become the next gold medalist swimmer because it is a dream you had but didn’t fulfill. They need to develop their own likes and dislikes. Pressuring them will only make them less likely to exercise.

Finally you need to ensure that whatever exercise your child selects that they warm up correctly, use muscles correctly and drink plenty of water so they won’t suffer from damaged muscles or dehydration.

This post does not constitute medical advice nor should it be substituted for professional medical advice. This post titled “The Benefits of Exercise for Children” is intended for informational purposes only.

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