While kids fitness trackers are designed to improve kids overall fitness, it does not make sense to buy one if you have no idea what you’ll be tracking in the first place.
In fact, there must be some kind of movement to help a child get the most out of a fitness tracking.
And what’s a better way to encourage an active lifestyle than to engage them to fitness activities for kids.
When an activity is fit and good enough for a child, it makes exercising fun. So much, in fact, they won’t even realize they are working out.
And when you motivate them to get on the move on a daily basis, they’ll grow into happy, healthier, and focused people.
List of Fitness Activities for Kids
Here’s a list of fitness activities that you should get your kid to try.
1. Swimming
If you have a kid that loves to swim, don’t hesitate to let them take advantage of the pool.
Swimming works different muscle groups on the go. And it can help your child lose weight, maintain their shape, and keep fit altogether.
Since this is a low-impact activity, it should be easy even for an overweight child.
The best thing about swimming is that it doesn’t just promote weight loss.
It also helps a child to develop a healthy lifestyle. In fact, the more you encourage them to swim, the more likely they’ll develop the habit of always wanting to hop in a pool and do some workout.
2. Basketball
Basketball may not be as popular as soccer, but it is a good option for kids that love to play outdoor/indoor games.
And you want to engage them to this, too, for a number of reasons.
Basketball involves swift movements that workout different body parts, especially the muscles and limbs.
So the more a kid plays basketball, the more muscles they build up, particularly in the arms, thighs, and the calf area.
Far from the health benefits, playing basketball also instills discipline in a child. This game has rules that a player must follow.
If they fail, they end up penalized.
By involving your child in the game, they end up appreciating the significance of following rules, not just in basketball but also in all areas of their life.
3. Walking
Walking is perhaps one of the easiest fitness activities for kids.
But it can be quite difficult to get a kid walking every day, particularly if they don’t find it fun.
Some kids just love to sit at home and play video games. So you will have to be a little more creative to get them moving.
Make walking interesting for them, so that they can appreciate doing the same on a daily basis.
One of the easiest ways to get a child walking without reminding or forcing them is to use an activity-tracking device that has a reminder to move feature.
You can also offer to give them some rewards, like allowing them to play video games, after walk.
4. Running
Kids may not be fond of running every day, but engaging them to this activity twice or thrice a week can go a long way in helping them keep fit.
You should make running fun for kids.
For example, instead of getting them to run in the backyard repeatedly, consider changing environments from time to time.
Another way to make it fun is to organize a small racing competition in the neighborhood.
The competition is a great opportunity for your child to mingle with other kids who share the same interest.
5. Hiking and Nature Walk
Hiking is one of the best fitness activities for kids because it actually engages them to walking, which is a great way to get them into shape.
Sure, they may not go hiking every weekend, but at least it is a great way to get them active in completely different environments.
You can still get your kid to enjoy the outdoor if you do not live in mountainous regions.
Simply suggest going for a nature walk in a nearby park. This is better done in the even when it’s almost sun set.
6. Jumping Rope
If you have never engaged your kid to jump roping before, this is probably the best time to do that.
Jump roping is a low impact exercise with so many health benefits.
When your kid skips rope, their heart becomes stronger.
Moreover, this activity puts more stress on the bones, making them stronger as a child continues to grow.
To make jumping rope a fun activity for your kid, you should let them play with their friends in the neighborhood.
Skipping rope together helps a child to learn teamwork. He or she also learns how to interact with other kids in the community, creating a solid foundation for societal growth.
7. Skating
Skating is one of the most popular fitness activities that you can engage your kid to.
In fact, this is one such an activity that can get them moving without a push or reminder because they find it fun to ride on shoes that have wheels.
You may need to watch over them when they first start skating.
But once they learn to glide across ice or speed down the rink, let them wear their skating shoes for the fun.
The thing that makes skating fun is the health benefit tied to it. There is no denying that it helps a child to build their endurance with time.
The more a kid skates, the more they develop muscle mass.
You end up raising a happy, healthy, and properly fit kid than you would if you had him/her playing video games all day.
Final Words
Raising an active kid can be tough.
But if you get them used to staying on the move early enough, you won’t have a difficult time engaging them to physical activities for their own good.
It is your responsibility as a parent to discourage sedentary lifestyle as early as you can.
After all, no parent ever raises up a physically fit kid by letting them drink fat pop and watch TV all year round.