7 Ways to Encourage Joyful Movement in Your Children

Are you looking for ways to help your children get active and improve their wellness? When you introduce healthy habits young, your children will see a lifetime of benefits. Here are seven ways to encourage joyful movement every day. 

1. Focus on Fun  

Look for ways your child can have fun while being active. Rather than making it a chore to get your child out to exercise, take the family to a different park to go for bike rides or hikes. Go to a local YMCA to swim in the pool or take yoga lessons. Try varying your activities until your child finds one they enjoy.  

If the activity involves playing a specific sport, consider signing your child up for a team league. Research shows children who participated in team sports had improved physical health throughout their lives. Involvement in sports additionally lowers the risk for childhood obesity and improves a child’s general physical health.    

2. Set Screen Limits 

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, teenagers spend an average of seven hours on devices outside of needed school usage. The CDC recommends at least one hour of active play a day for healthy children. To encourage physical activity, it’s wise to put limits on a child’s screen time.  

You can monitor screen time by not allowing your child to sleep with a device in their room and encouraging frequent breaks. Every hour have your child disengage from the screen and walk around the room. You can set up a simple timer as a reminder. Or consider utilizing a more sophisticated software program to turn off the screen and force your child to take a break.     

3. Take Your Kids to a Playground  

A great way to help your children stay active and have fun while doing so is by taking them to the playground. Playground equipment provides creative variety and allows children to be imaginative as they play on the monkey bars, slides or swings. Because playgrounds are a community feature, kids can come together and make new friends in their neighborhood. Being outdoors and playing in the sun is suitable for a child’s mental and physical health.   

4. Provide Active Toys  

One way to ensure your kids get enough physical activity is to guarantee they have access to active toys. This is especially crucial for young children. Regardless of your child’s age, you can find them age-appropriate active toys to stay busy while playing outdoors.   

• Balls: six months and up 
• Musical instruments like shakers and bells: one year and up 
• Ride-on toys: 12 months and up 
• Balance bikes: 18 months and up 
• Mini-trampoline: 2 years and up 
• Tricycles: 3 years and up 
• Scooters: 4 years and up  

When you make active play a habit for your child at an early age, it sets them up for a lifetime of wellness.  

5. Schedule Time For Play  

Some children have such busy schedules today–they have limited time to play. Do your child a favor and leave time for physical activity. Whether it’s playing on the playground with friends or racing around their bedroom with their stuffed animals, your child needs downtime just to be a kid.  

Some children are so overscheduled with homework, team sports and other club activities they have little time to pursue play. Overscheduling children can set them up for a future of depression and anxiety, while downtime for play is crucial for a kid’s wellbeing. Consider scheduling an hour of free time in your child’s daily schedule for them to play. This time is valuable and can even help you reconnect as a family.  

6. Find Age-Appropriate Activities  

To help your children stay physically fit, you’ll need to find age-appropriate activities to inspire movement. Preschoolers are still developing motor skills like throwing or kicking a ball. Games like catch, tag, hopscotch or obstacle courses can help sharpen your child’s gross motor skills.  

School-age children can understand the complex rules of team sports, so if you find your child interested in any sports, consider signing them up for a league. Try to find a sport that matches their abilities and interests. Do your best to keep the game fun while your child learns the rules and competes in matches.   

7. Understand Your Kid’s Fitness Personality 

Another helpful factor in encouraging your child to be active is understanding their fitness personality. There are three fitness personalities: 

• The Non-Athlete: This personality is best described as those who enjoy a more sedentary lifestyle. These children might be comfortable playing with Legos or reading. However, they’ll need more encouragement to go outside and play actively. Consider how you can make outdoor activities exciting and fun for your child to keep them engaged. 

• The Casual Athlete: This personality type enjoys physical activity when interacting with friends or family. If your child is a casual athlete and plays on a team, they likely complete workouts without complaint and are a good team player. But the game is more about social connections and having fun than the sport itself.  

• The Athlete: The athlete personality type loves exercise for the activity itself. They’re natural competitors and are naturally skilled athletes, likely excelling at each sport they try. These kids are the stars of each team, pushing other children to work hard and achieve more. If you have an athlete, you likely won’t need to encourage your child to try a sport. However, they might need some support with balancing school, friends and being a kid.  

In addition to the three fitness personalities, there are also 16 personality types that can help you understand your child’s individual preferences for physical activity. Each of the 16 personality types is a unique combination of these four dimensions.For example, if your child is an Introverted Feeling type, you might encourage them to try yoga or hiking, which are activities that allow them to connect with nature and express their creativity. If your child is an Extroverted Intuitive type, you might encourage them to try dance or martial arts, which are activities that allow them to use their imagination and be physically active.

Help Your Child Stay Active 

Encourage your child to stay active by finding fun ways for them to play every day. Ensure you schedule downtime in their schedule for them to be active and be a kid.