Most parents count on summer itself to promote physical activity and raise-your-pulse exercise. The longer, warmer days beckon us and our kids outside and things just seem to happen. But then it’s back to school, logistics take over and couch potatoes (in both generations) often re-appear. It’s worth thinking about this transition now because now is when it’s happening. Many of us hit upon the idea of the logistical solution – find a class, join a team – if it’s in the schedule, it’s more likely to happen. And as we – and the preschools and kindergartens to which we send our children – all know, regular exercise is a very good idea. The old myths that young children are inherently sufficiently active, or that too much activity can harm the growing body – tales I heard from my grandmother – have been replaced with growing concern about shocking obesity levels in young children due to passive daily lives and unwise nutritional patterns. We know that there are short and long-term physical and mental benefits to regular exercise and that there are no short cuts to those benefits.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following for preschools:
- An indoor play space should be available to allow sufficient running
- Outdoor play should be scheduled twice a day
- An outdoor play space should offer fixed and portable play equipment and a paved surface for wheeled toys
- Active play time should never be withheld as punishment.
**Note to parents: are you sending your child off with the right clothing for such activities? This is a surprisingly frequent concern among teachers.
As for those scheduled team and class activities, keep a few things in mind. Preschoolers are not ready for competition. They won’t really understand winning vs. losing, ‘doing your best,’ ‘give the other kid a chance’ until they are in fourth grade. What they need now is for you to support the skills they are developing: running, chasing or hitting a ball, enjoying the water or snow and just beginning to understand that there is something called a ‘game’ or a ‘sport.’
But children learn better from what they see and experience, than from what they are told. So – as a family – keep fitness activity as a year-round habit.
- Visit your playgrounds regularly and make it fun. Bring along some extra things like large balls, kites, ropes for jumping and (supervised!) tug-of-war. You can enrich the time by making an obstacle course (enjoyed by any child who can walk) through the playground and see who can remember it or finish it fastest.
- Many families treasure weekly family walks. It generally takes some humoring for the more balky ones, but scavenger items usually work for our children.
- When weather interferes, get out the large balls, exercise mats and Twister® games, or download some stretching and balancing exercises (to do together) from family fitness websites. Remember; keep your children away from exercise equipment for safety reasons.
Infant
An effective fitness program includes activities that promote physical activity in ways that are creative and fun, is clear and easy to implement, incorporates fun materials, includes opportunities to enhance personal and social skills, and integrates into other life experiences.
