Happy New Year! As we jump into 2011 many of us start the new year off with the tradition of new year’s resolutions. One of the most popular resolutions for the new year is getting healthy. Whether your goal is to lose weight, improve your fitness, or just improve your overall health, here are some ideas to get the whole family moving together. The more a family can build movement into their daily schedule, the more the children will have that habit for the rest of their lives.
The following tips were adapted from the the Smart Moves for Families handout from the American Physical Therapy Association designed to help families stay active and incorporate physical activities into their daily lives:
• Plan weekend family activities involving physical activity, such as hiking, swimming, bicycling, mini-golf, tennis, or bowling.
• Help your child plan physical activities with friends and neighbors, such as skating or softball.
• Have your kids brainstorm a “rainy day” game plan of indoor activities involving fitness games such as Wii Fit or Dance Dance Revolution.
• Remember that your family does not need to join a health club or buy fancy equipment to be active. Walking isn’t costly and it’s easy. So is designing a backyard obstacle course. Weights can be made from soda or detergent bottles filled with sand or water!
• Provide positive rewards for your child when he or she engages in physical activities, such as workout clothes, a new basketball, or an evening of roller-skating.
• Provide positive feedback about your child’s lifestyle changes. Remember not to focus on the scale (for you or your child).
• Be your child’s “exercise buddy.” Plan daily walks or bike rides and set goals together for increasing physical activity rather than for losing weight. It’s also great “bonding” time!
• As you schedule your child’s extracurricular activities, remember to plan time for exercise and activity as a priority for the entire family. Don’t just “squeeze it in.”
• Encourage children to try individualized sports such as tennis and swimming. Studies show such activities are the basis of lifelong fitness habits.
• Parents and children can do exercises while watching television (or at least during commercials), such as sit-ups, push-ups, or running in place. Discourage snacking or eating meals while watching.
• Have a dance party: put some music on and its time to let loose!
• “Follow the Leader”: Take turns choosing an exercise or way of moving and leading the rest of the family.
The specific activity you choose is not important, the goal is to move and have fun. An active life is sensory-rich and improves energy, attention, and overall health. I look forward to hearing what activity ideas work best for your families!
About Joni Redlich, DPT
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