5 Simple & Fun Exercises for Kids to Keep Them Active

Anything that can get children active and moving is great for them. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), regular exercise can help kids build strong muscles and bones, improve cardio respiratory fitness, and minimize the risk of developing serious illnesses in their adulthood such as high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, and osteoporosis. What?s more, exercise can even help kids with ADHD and improve symptoms of anxiety and depression. So, how do we get children to enjoy regular exercise? It can be a challenge, but the goal is to make exercise seem fun and exciting, as opposed to a chore. This way, they will be more likely to do it and stick to it. Let us look at some simple and fun exercises that kids will enjoy doing on a regular basis. 1) Running Something as simple as running can get help get kids healthy. You just need to make it seem exciting, and they will be off in a split. You can do that by simply chasing each other around or playing games like catch the crook, tag, water balloon relay, and the last runner out. You can also switch things up with varying movement patterns. For instance, you can change from running to skipping or change the direction of running to sideways or reverse. Developing excitement and a love of running is something kids can carry into their adulthood. This can easily set them up for a lifetime of healthy habits. 2) Jumping If there is one thing about kids that they will never get tired of is jumping. Getting their feet off the ground is an easy workout that children will want to do. Jumps can aid in building endurance, muscle strength, cardiovascular fitness, and even improve balance. Some fun jumping exercises can include the following:

• Jumping Jacks
• Tuck Jumps
• Hurdle Hops
• One-Foot Hops
• Criss-Cross Feet Jump

3) Squats and Lunges If you can do squats, you bet your kids can do them as well. Start by helping them bend those knees for lunges and squats, but make sure not to bend too far. They can also try side lunges, forward and backward lunges. Squats can help children build leg strength, endurance, and even self-confidence. Moreover, squats can set up a good foundation for other types of fitness activities and sports. 4) Bear Crawl A bear walk can be considered a full-body exercise as it works out the different parts of the body at once. Start by having them crawl on their hands and feet. Next, ensure their knees don?t touch the floor. This exercise can help them strengthen their arms, legs, and core muscles. It also has the potential to improve the child?s awareness and brain. 5) Sit-Ups and Push-Ups Sit-ups and push-ups will help strengthen their upper bodies and core muscles in the back and abs. However, kids might not always be up for this traditional workout. To tackle this situation, you can incorporate sit-ups and push-ups into fun exercise activities and games to keep them engaged. Conclusion: Don?t Forget Stretching Lastly, to prevent injuries and keep muscles healthy and strong, always ensure that kids perform simple stretching exercises before or after workouts. A stretching sequence can help children transition into a more flexible and relaxed state pre or post-workout. Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/facts.htm