How to Get Kids and Teens to Exercise
Exercise for kids and teens has been a hot button issue in recent years largely due to the ever increasing amount of time kids are spending in front of screens. As a Physical Therapist I can give you all of the research and recommendations explaining why exercise is so important and how much exercise kids need. But as a mom of three I have a very real understanding of how difficult it can be to get our kids moving. So, what are we supposed to do?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:
Infants need at least 30 minutes of “tummy time” and other interactive play, spread throughout each day.
Kids aged 3-5 need at least 3 hours of physical activity per day, or about 15 minutes every hour they are awake. One of those hours should be moderate to vigorous.
Kids 6 years and older need 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity on most days of the week.
For more information from the American Academy of Pediatrics, check out this link.
Why is exercise important:
Exercise strengthens our cardiovascular system which includes our heart, lungs, and circulatory system.
Exercise helps us maintain a healthy weight. As we challenge our cardiovascular system we spend more calories than we would at rest or doing simple activities. When our calorie expenditure equals our calorie intake our weight remains constant.
Exercise helps keep our bones and joints healthy. When we exercise, we put pressure and weight through our bones and joints. This pressure tells our bodies to continue making the necessary chemicals to keep our bones and joints strong and healthy.
Exercise can help us with sleep.
Exercise can help with brain health and function. Exercise improves the blood flow to our brains, increases levels of neurotransmitters which are the chemicals that help our brain work, and improves our arousal levels. All of these improve our ability to focus on academic tasks.
Exercise has psychological benefits. Exercise can improve our mood and sense of well being.
Now that we know why exercise is so important let’s talk about how can we get our kids moving throughout the day.
Short Movement Breaks
Don’t try to get all the activity in at once. Instead, try for short periods of exercise in 5-10 minute sessions throughout the day. Not only is it easier to find the time and mental motivation to take on a 5 minute task rather than a 60 minute task, exercise can turn into a reward for focusing for a specific period of time. I have a bunch of 5 minutes exercise videos for all ages and ability levels on my YouTube Channel that can help you sneak in some fun movement breaks.
Shake It Up
Try new activities to figure out what your child find enjoyment in and prevent boredom. Exercise doesn’t have to be a boring repetition of the same activities over and over again. Instead, try a combination of exercises or activities like yoga, bike rides, or walks around the block.
Combine Exercise with Family Time
Get everyone involved in the exercise process by combining exercise with family time. Walk the dog after dinner, have a short yoga session before bed to help everyone relax, or go on a family Scavenger hunt. The options are endless.
Start Slow
If it has been a long time since your child exercised, start slow and simple. Take a few walks around the block each day, go for a bike ride, or spend some time at the playground. We don’t want to push our kids so hard that they resist exercise in the future. Small fun baby steps can lead to success.
Make it a Competition
My boys love to compete against each other. How about your kids? Making exercise a competition would be very successful with them. Something like: Who can get the most steps in each day? Who can get in all their minutes for the week? And the winner might get out of chores for the week. Whatever fun idea you can come up with will be great!
Thanks so much for stopping by today. I hope you found this post helpful! If you would like to check out a video version of this post content, click here.
-Heather
