How To Promote An Active Lifestyle In Your Minor Children.
If you're like many modern parents, you may be concerned that your child doesn't get enough physical exercise. The majority of schools are focusing primarily on academic achievements and not allotting much time for physical education. Also, electronic devices are part of almost everyone's life these days, and many children spend their unstructured time on social media or being passively entertained by a screen rather than playing outside with their peers. Fortunately, today's parents many have excellent opportunities to encourage their children to enjoy physical activity on a regular basis. Following are just three of the many smart strategies designed to get kids off the couch and on their feet.
Plan Fun Family Outdoor Outings
Some families bond over movie-and-pizza nights, but you can encourage your kids to pursue outdoor activities as often as possible during your family time together. One of the best ways to make this strategy work is to keep it local -- if you decide to make a long Saturday morning walk a part of your family routine, for instance, you can plan to go to a different scenic location each week. However, busy families often find it easier to put this activity off if they have to drive more than 30 minutes to a destination. Choose a local park or other green space for the majority of your Saturday morning walks and keep the farther destinations for the occasional special treat.
Consider Sports Academies
Most children find themselves gravitating toward a particular sport at some time as they're growing up, but these fledgling interests are all too frequently left behind way too easily. Sports academies offer an excellent way to cultivate engagement and commitment among budding athletes, and they exist for a variety of activities. Standard sports such as football, baseball, and soccer well-represented, but you can also find academies that focus on more eclectic activities such as sailing, martial arts, and kickboxing. Some even have several departments instead of being exclusively devoted to one sport.
Take Active Vacations
Instead of packing up the kids and heading for a crowded theme park for you next family getaway, take an active vacation instead. There are many different options -- you can go camping, backpacking, skiing, trail riding, biking, rafting, fishing, and more. This will help teach your children that leisure time is more fulfilling when it's spent on something other than passive entertainment and will hopefully nurture lifelong passions for outdoor activities.
