How to encourage your child to be more active

Anisha Kumar, MD

Pediatrics

Regular exercise is an important part of staying healthy, for adults and for kids. Just like some adults are more active than others, some kids find their way outside to run and others curl up on the couch. What’s a parent hoping to help their child stay active to do?

Pediatrician Anisha Kumar, MD, offered some advice on how to encourage your child to be more active.

How does staying active benefit children into adulthood?

“Keeping up an active lifestyle has a ton of benefits for children and adults,” said Dr. Kumar. “Not only is it a great way to decrease stress and improve focus and mood, but it also helps to build strong and healthy bodies!”

Whether it’s through sports, structured exercise or just through time spent playing at the park, staying active helps to strengthen muscles and bones during critical times in their development, improves how well children are able to fall asleep and stay asleep, and also helps prevent damaging conditions like heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

My kid just isn’t into sports and doesn’t enjoy structured exercise. How can I help them to stay active and keep moving?

“Focus on activities that involve a lot of fun,” said Dr. Kumar. “Providing a healthy level of movement doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be structured. Add creativity to the mix and think outside the box.”

Remember, time on the swings and playing at the playground counts as activity, too! Children who aren’t interested in joining the soccer team may still enjoy kicking a ball around with some friends just for fun.

When it comes to staying active at home, it’s important to minimize time on screens, including tablets, televisions, computers and cell phones. Instead, encourage active play in the yard or involve your child in household work in a way that makes it more fun than forced. Dr. Kumar suggested creating a competition with cleaning or doing active chores like mowing the lawn, raking leaves, gardening, washing the car or vacuuming as a family.

 Active hobbies that go beyond structured sports can be the key

“There’s always a way to get your body moving, whether the weather outside is perfect or if it’s too rainy, too hot or otherwise not ideal for outdoor exercise,” said Dr. Kumar.

She suggested playing tag, jumping rope, riding bikes together, going to the park, nature walks or hiking, hopscotch and roller skating as ideas for family activities that can turn keeping active into fun for everyone.

For days when time outside just isn’t going to happen, indoor dance parties, hide and seek, jumping jack competitions, bowling, swimming or yoga all offer opportunities to keep moving.

“What matters isn’t exactly what movement you choose,” said Dr. Kumar. “What matters is that you keep moving.”