Make physical activity a family affair. Family exercise builds healthy bodies and healthy families. Getting kids of any age to exercise with their parents doesn’t have to be a tough sell. The trick is to pick fun, creative activities that get the whole family up and moving.
It doesn’t have to be formal, structured exercise. Going to the zoo, bowling or cycling can bring the family together in an active way. Research shows your children will be about six times more likely to enjoy physical activity if you serve as a role model.
Everyone in your family should accumulate at least 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity most days each week (can be made up of ten minutes here and fifteen minutes there).
- Limit everyone’s non-active time to less than 30 minutes per day.
- Make outdoor activity a house rule and “set house goals”.
- Plan ahead – sit down as a family and plan the week ahead.
- Be creative when choosing activities. Play fast-moving action games like tag etc and explore opportunities your community offers – walk/runs make great family outings.
- Plan family holidays around hiking, skiing or camping. Take along a ball or Frisbee for rest stops.
- Create a reward system — gold stars for every activity completed. Track progress toward goals on colourful refrigerator charts.
- Choose an “activity of the week”.
- Teach them the “2 floor” rule — never take a lift fewer than three floors (if the stairs can be found and are safe).
Getting the uninterested involved
Establish exactly why they are so reluctant.
- If it is because they think they are out of shape and unfit they will need your support to be brave enough to give the exercise a go. They could well be self conscious about how they will look when exercising so it is important to make sure that they know you are all in it together, regardless of how good or bad any of you are.
- It may be that they are not keen on the activity you have chosen make sure they are included in all decisions before you settle on a sport to take up as a family.
- If they are simply lazy then have a little patience with them and ease them into it little by little.
- It is as important to get your partner fully on board, as it is your children. So that is why it is quite so vital to make sure you understand why they are reluctant if that is the case.