Are Your Kids Getting Enough Exercise?

When I was a kid, getting enough exercise wasn’t difficult. Our parents simply opened our doors everyday and let us play with other kids on the block. We did everything from climbing trees, to riding bikes to playing tag.

But these days, if you look outside, it’s rare to see children playing outdoors. That’s because parents are less likely to let a child play outside unsupervised, and because children just don’t casually play with neighborhood kids anymore – “playdates” have to be arranged beforehand with the help of a parent.

It looks like our modern-day habits and busy schedules are taking a toll on our kids. A recently released YMCA study reveals that 74 percent of parents say that their children get less than an hour of moderate to vigorous activity (exercise) a day. (It is recommended that children between 6 and 17 get 60 minutes of exercise a day.) Also, children between the ages of 5 and 10 are playing outdoors fewer than four days a week, according to the YMCA study

Dr. Matt Longjohn, the YMCA's U.S. director of chronic disease prevention, says that the culprits behind kids’ lack of exercise are time, technology and money. In a tight economy, parents are cutting down on extracurricular activities for their kids, or don’t have the time to supervise physical activities. Also, today’s kids are prone to sitting on the coach in front of the TV or by a computer.

So, how can you get more exercise into your child’s schedule? Here are some tips:

1. Limit screen time: Set a time limit to how many minutes your child can sit in front of the TV or computer.

2. Get active: Find ways to get your child moving. You can give him or her some outside playtime daily or schedule a family walk, trip to the playground or bike ride. If you can’t get outside, get your child to play an active video game (like Wii or Wii Fit). Or if you have a space that allows physical activity indoors, you could encourage some jump roping, aerobics or dancing.

3. Walk more: If you home’s location allows it, trying walking more to school, shops and activities, etc., instead of hopping in the car.

4. Choose active after-school activities: If your child is interested in organized after-school activities, try enrolling him or her in a sport, gymnastics, or dance class.

5. Play together. Your kids are most likely to stay active if you join in on the fun. So why not make some time for a game of catch, dance or aerobics session or tour of the neighborhood. The time you spend together will be good for your family, and good for your family’s health.