Children should be be actively exercising for an hour 7 days a week.  So where to start?

The basic principle behind getting children active is being positive. At no point should a child be told they can’t do something or they’re rubbish. Now we would all probably agree with this but unfortunately at every turn children are judged by themselves, their peers, their teachers and their parents. Competative sports are great but children need to learn the skills of the sport in a non competitive environment. There’s no point sending your child to football club if they have few skills and low fitness levels, there’s no surer way of putting a child off something for life than by putting them in above their head.

 

 

So where do we start. If you are using a club or other organized session check it out, make sure it is appropriate, sit in for their first session.

If your family fitness levels are low start at home. Fitness needs to be fun so use some of these ideas:

• Choose a water park over a standard swimming pool or choose a time when the floats are in.
• Get more walking/running into your lives, park in the furthest corner of the supermarket car park, race to the car, park further away from shops.
• Children love picnics so take a football and picnic to the local park instead of lunch or tea in front of the TV.
• In the UK you are never more than a mile or so from a footpath so at this time of year go blackberry picking or go out and try spotting wildlife, foxes, rabbits, deer etc.
• Get a map and compass and let them find the way along local paths.
• At home chase them up stairs.
• Dads and boys have press up competitions
• Girls and mums have sit up competitions (for that flatter stomach)
• Put up a basket ball hoop
• Lead by example make sure both parents do some exercise each week
• Find some local traffic free cycle paths.

As your children do more, feel fitter and more confident then start to find local clubs, possibly via their schools, to extend what they do and make sport and fitness part of their lives.

On a personal basis I have completed a course on training children and am looking to set up not only children’s fitness classes but also family fitness classes during the next few weeks.

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