Being physically active is good for children. They’re still undergoing physical development. Simple exercises and other physical activities will help in their development. However, not all children love being physically active. Others prefer playing video games all the time. If not, they have other interests that don’t involve movements. There’s nothing wrong in allowing your children to discover their interests. Try to encourage them to be more physically active if possible. Here are some tips.
Be a good role model
If you want your children to be physically active, be a good role model. You can’t tell them to play sports or exercise if you don’t do the same. Make it a family affair. This idea applies not only on being physically active. You should also look for other ways where you can model positive behaviour to your children. They will imitate your actions. If they don’t see you doing the right thing, you can’t expect them to follow.
Walk outside as a family
Make it a habit to bond as a family. You don’t have to travel to distant locations. You can go outside your house and walk. You can also visit a local park and spend the day walking around. You can hit two birds with one stone with this strategy. It’s an opportunity to spend more time with your family and have physical activities simultaneously.
Make it fun
Your children should realise that doing physical activities can be fun and exciting too. Sure, they’re exhausting, but the level of excitement is incomparable. You can also invest in soft play at home. It helps your children to stay physically active at home. It also teaches other soft skills that aid in the children’s development.
Use competition to motivate them
There’s nothing wrong with motivating your children through competition. They might love to show that they’re the best and win the games. You can also reward the winners to encourage your children to do more. As long as it remains a healthy competition among family members, it’s good enough.
Limit the use of mobile devices
It’s difficult to make children move around because of mobile devices. They prefer to sit at home and play for several hours. However, if you set the rules regarding the use of mobile devices, they will think of other activities. You might also have consequences for going beyond the allotted time. Besides, these physical activities are only a part of their schedule. There are other things they need to accomplish during the day. If they waste too much time on video games, they can’t do anything else anymore.
Hopefully, you can encourage your children to do the right thing. Let them know the value of being physically active. If they try their best, acknowledge the efforts. It doesn’t mean that they can see results right away. As long as you can cultivate that culture at home, it’s a step in the right direction.
