10 Effective tips to encourage your child to be physically active

Get Moving: 10 Effective ways to encourage your child to be more active

Sarah Khan

29 Dec 2016

updated the 6 January 2017 à 14:46

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Speak with your child’s doctor
Schedule an appointment with your child's doctor, who may help your child understand why physical activity is important for them. Their doctor can also recommend a suitable sport or activity best for your child.
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Pick fun activities
Help your child find a sport or physical activity they enjoy. The more they enjoy the activity, the more likely it is that they will keep it up. Better still, involve your entire family in the activity for a great family bonding session!
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Make sure the activity is age-appropriate
This might seem obvious, but choose an activity that is developmentally appropriate to your child. While going on a 5km run may be not be suited for your 7-year-old, activities like cycling and swimming are all great options!
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Limit use of electronic devices
It is no secret that children today are growing up in the digital age, and many of them are likely already addicted to their gadgets. Limit your child's television watching or laptop and smartphone use. Experts recommend no more than 1 to 2 hours of total screen time on these devices each day. Instead, make use of the free time for more physical activities.
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Set an example
Children who regularly see their parents enjoying sports and physical activity are more likely to engage in it themselves. As such, make sure you get active as well, through activities you enjoy whether it be yoga or a jog.
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Provide active toys
Make sure you provide active toys for your children, beyond the usual toys they might want at a store. Young children need easy access to balls, skipping rope, and other toys that they can easily reach for and use for physical activity.
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Make time for exercise
Undoubtedly, your kid might be overscheduled with schoolwork, extra-curricular activities, music lessons and other planned activities which may not leave room for exercise. As such, make sure you plan ahead and work around their schedule to incorporate an hour or so a day for them to play and be physically active.
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Provide a safe environment
Ensure that your child's equipment and chosen area for the activity are safe, comfortable and appropriate for it.
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Get active with your child
Expose your children to various activities or sports suited for their age and help them learn a new sport! Getting active and playing with your child is a great way for you to bond with them and also encourage them to be more active. They might also end up finding an activity they really like and want to commit to.
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Do not over-do it
At the end of the day, being active is about having fun for your children. If you find that your child's weight drops below average or hurt them, you may want to consider a less vigorous activity instead or consult their doctor.

Get your child active and moving with these 10 effective tips!

Children are meant to be active. Physical activity is a great way for your child to discover the world – and themselves. There are innumerable benefits to your kid being active. On the physical side, it builds stronger muscles and bones, and decreases their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Being active also helps build a healthy sense of self-confidence in children. For one, healthy and physically active kids are more likely to be more academically motivated, alert, successful and have a better outlook on life.

Unfortunately, not all children are as active as they should be. Studies have found that only 1 in 3 children are physically active every day. Instead, children and teenagers spend more than 7 hours daily on average on electronics such as their smartphones, laptops, and television. There is a justifiable fear that our generation of children may grow to be a sedentary bunch – which has many negative implications on both their physical and overall well-being.

So, how much activity is enough? Experts say that children of school-going age need at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day. If you feel like your child could do with being more physically active, as a parent you can actually play an integral role in encouraging it! We’ve narrowed down 10 effective ways you can get started on to encourage your little one to be more active – just head up to our gallery above!

Sarah Khan

Photos: Getty Images

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