Be a positive role model
You can lead the way for your kids simply by choosing enjoyable activities everyone in the family can do. Take your family on a hike through the woods, or play ball in a city park. Enjoy a family bike ride in the neighborhood or some winter sledding on a nearby hill.
Your kids will love your participation and before you know it, they'll be asking for more activities. Add to the fun by inviting another family to join you. You'll be building fitness and happy family memories.
Make regular activities more fun
You don't have to plan every activity. You can turn your regular chores into fun and energetic "workouts."
Does the family car need a wash? Get out a hose and bucket and challenge the kids to get it clean in a set amount of time. If they "win," give them an active reward, like a trip to a local park.
Wish you had some help cleaning the house? Make it a fun chore you can do together. Give each child a special job, put on some fun music, and dance through your clean-up. You'll get a clean house and a lot of laughs.
"Screen" your kids' time
Kids spend a lot of time in front of screens: the TV, the computer, or video games. It's nice to relax after a busy day, but a "passive" activity like watching TV shouldn't be the main event. Give your kids "screen time” after they've been active for a solid chunk of time.
Also, don't put TVs, computers or video game systems in your kids' bedrooms. They can pile up the screen hours while you're busy with other things.
Introduce them to a life-long sport
Whether it's tennis or martial arts, skiing or swimming, starting kids in a sport when they're young can help them stay active for life. Making good progress in learning their sport gives them the motivation and self-confidence to stick with it.
Support the team
Support your child in team sports. And remember — it's supposed to be fun. Your child doesn't have to be a star player on the most competitive team. Kids get plenty of positives out of team sports just by participating. Many towns have club-level teams, where there are no tryouts and everyone gets to play. And you might be surprised … your child might have a hidden athletic talent you haven't seen yet!
