June 25th, 2021

Exercising for Kids: How to Motivate Your Children to Be Active

Are you looking for ways to get your children to want to be active? This guide on exercising for kids will help you provide the right motivation for them.

How much screen time is too much?

Kids between the ages of 8 and 10 spend about 6 hours in front of a screen each day. While there can be a lot to gain from relaxing to kids’ favorite shows or learning remotely, an excess of screen time can also lead to problems.

Sitting still and barely moving their bodies, kids can begin to gain weight and develop health issues. If you want to help your kids stay healthy and happy, then you have to show them the importance of working out.

How can you make exercising for kids more fun than ever before? Read on to find out.

Active Games for Kids

Exercising for kids should be about being fit, while also having a blast. One of the best ways to accomplish the fun in fitness is by using games. Remember all of the playground games you’d play as a kid? You can put an exercise twist on those games to help your kids “play” their way to health.

Whether you're playing outdoors or dealing with a small space inside, Captain May I, is a particularly fun exercise game. For Captain May I, you'll need to choose who gets to be the permission giver first. After electing a permission giver, have the other children stand as far away from them as possible, while still being able to hear their voice.

Next, the line of players will take turns asking for permission to come closer to the permission giver. Encourage the kids to use exercise activities, rather than steps, to progress forward. For instance, someone could ask, "Captain may I do five-leg lounges forward?".

Explain the Why Behind Exercise

Moving on, you should take the time to explain the reasoning behind working out to kids, no matter how old they are. Perhaps a child's favorite question is to ask why. The desire to understand things runs deep within children, and it can be a source of motivation when used correctly.

Instead of telling your kids that they have to exercise, explain why you want them to. Using teaching videos, books, and articles, help your kids understand how working out benefits the human body. 

Let your kids know what self-care is all about, and how they can take charge of their own self-care habits. Instead of taking a fear-based approach, we suggest focusing on all of the positive aspects of being healthy. For instance, consistently working out can increase longevity, and who doesn't want to live longer?

Superhero Workouts for Kids

Do your kids have a favorite superhero? Chances are the caped crusader they love has a great physique to accompany their ethical spirit. When motivating kids to exercise, consider using their favorite superheroes as healthy role models. Would Spider-Man be able to catch all of those bad guys if he was tired from eating too much sugar?

How would Superman get the job done if he never took the time to do some cardio? By twisting superheroes into your child's health regime, you'll be adding an element of wonder and excitement to working out.

Brainstorm Exercising for Kids

As you can see, there's a ton of different ways to make exercising for kids fun. From breaking down the why of working out, to making exercise a game, it's up to you how you want to promote a healthy lifestyle. Since the type of exercise game you choose will vary depending on age group, go ahead and start brainstorming age-appropriate games today.

Once you have a game in mind, think of ways to make it exercise-focused. Ready to find more ways to help your kids lead healthy lives? Check out our brain-boosting vitamin bundle.