How to get your kids interested in sports or physical activities

Children should get at least one hour of physical activity a day. That is an absolute minimum. When I was a kid, we spent so much time running outside that it was never just an hour, but today, with phones, televisions, and iPads, getting a child to play outside can be a challenge.

So how can we make children more active in their daily lives? Having raised my own 4 children, I can recommend some of my best tips.

Find out what really interests them

You may be a baseball fan and dream of your son becoming the next big star, but don’t let your projections define his future. They may go to baseball just to please you, but they won’t enjoy it if their true passion is tennis, for example. Never force your child to do something that he really doesn’t want to do.

I encourage you to try all the sports that exist, even those that may seem strange to you. Listen to your child and pay attention, see what he responds best to, and positively encourage him to continue with that.

Do not compare

I wouldn’t recommend comparing your son to another, “Billy is so good at basketball, he plays every day, why can’t you be more like him?” This is an almost sure way to get your child to quit basketball altogether. Nobody likes to be criticized. Instead, why not find positive and uplifting ways to encourage your child to play sports?

Teaches being

It’s no wonder children look up to their parents. If you tell them, “You should exercise every day,” but don’t do it yourself, they may not be as willing to listen to you. See if they can join you during your practices, be it yoga in the morning on the beach or a bike ride in the evening. They will love spending time with you, and somehow it will be more natural for them to be active if you are active too.

I have a dog?

If you have a dog in the house, see if you can make your child the main dog walker in the house. Make them feel important by telling them that it is “your” dog or that they do this job better. Half an hour in the morning and half an hour at night – a great way to get them moving.

If you don’t have a dog, encourage your child to walk or bike everywhere. Not only is it better for the environment, which I am quite passionate about, but it will also keep you in shape.

Build a tree house

If you have a garden at home, why not build a tree house? Children love to do things and when they are ready, they will be active climbing them. If you can’t have a tree house, why not hang some ropes on the thicker branches and encourage your kids to climb them? You can even turn it into a game, like treasure hunt, with one of the clues at the top of that rope.

Do something different

Very few people like routine, especially children who cannot sit still for long. If you make them do ballet every day for 6 months, they may get bored and lose interest. However, if you vary things from time to time, they will never know what will come next and will get excited about new adventures.

Maybe you could try new things every other weekend, like surfing, rock climbing, a treetop adventure park, trampolines, horseback riding, whatever you can think of. Make it a fun day. Your kids will see new places and be active in the process.

Fitness classes

Did you know that many gyms now have classes for kids? They are done in the form of a game, for example, jumping obstacles. This allows kids to have fun as they don’t see it as a chore and get fit at the same time. Not only that, but if you go with them to do your thing, you will teach by example that going to the gym is a good thing.

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