We all know about the importance of fitting exercise into our daily lives. However, millions of Americans still do not get exercise regularly. With the obesity epidemic all around us, it is time for every parent to take healthy steps to get or keep their kids eating healthy and moving their bodies.

You are the parent and you are in charge. Help your kids eat right and be fit, by providing healthy snacks and meals, by limiting the amount of empty calories or junk food they consume, and figure out a way to get them moving for an hour every day (or as much as you can).

Use Words to Encourage Your Kids to Move Everyday

It is not uncommon for one of my boys to say, “Look mom, I’m exercising” or for someone else to say, “Is this exercising?” as they hop around the house or do a jumping jack.

Kids are naturally busy. They have spurts of energy throughout the day. It is usually obvious when your kids need to get moving because they start jumping around the house, or climbing on furniture or each other. Try to get your kids outside or doing some activity before their energy takes over. Take them outside to play and run around or do a fun indoor activity that involves movement.

• Tell your kids, “Your body was made to move around.”
• Talk about strong bones and building muscles
• It is important to talk to your kids about eating healthy foods and getting exercise to have a strong growing body.

Make Moving Your Body Fun

It is very easy to get kids to move around and burn off energy. Just stay conscious of the need to move your body and theirs. Plan a time when everyone goes outside for an activity or think of an indoor activity to get them up and moving.

• Go outdoors
• Ride bikes
• Play hide and seek
• Swim
• Play a game/ hopscotch
• Hopping lily pad game
• Bowling
• Obstacle course (in/out)
• Relay race or sprints
• Red light, green light or simon says
• Soccer, basketball or baseball

I even do little games with my kids just to break up the day and get more physical activity into a cold or rainy day. I will start doing an easy exercise and after a minute I will say, “How many bunny hops can you do?” and then, “Let’s see if we can all hop for 2 minutes.”

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