8 Easy Ways to Encourage Your Children to Regularly Exercise

Building healthy habits as a child sets a great foundation for the rest of your life. Physical activity has countless short-term and long-term benefits, so if you’re a parent, you should make sure your kids are getting enough exercise every day. Some kids are naturally drawn to athletic activities, and others need more encouragement. Here are eight ways you can motivate your children to exercise regularly.

1. Provide Toys and Activities

If you want your kids to increase their activity level, you should make sure they have the toys and equipment to accomplish it. A bicycle, jump rope, basketball hoop, soccer ball, or rollerblades can all help to promote physical activity.

2. Find Group Activities

Kids are great at finding ways to stay busy on their own or with friends, but structured exercise activities can also be fun. You and your kids could join a yoga or Zumba class, or you could enroll them in their favorite sport.

3. Use Exercise as Transportation

If this option is safe, encourage your kids to walk or bike to school, the park, the library, or their friends’ homes. Using exercise as a form of transportation is an excellent way to increase your activity level without feeling like you’re working out.

4. Go on Adventures

Exploring the outdoors is an exciting way for kids to exercise. Give them some options for nature sites in your area to explore, and let them choose their adventure for the day. Geocaching can be especially enjoyable for children because they feel like they’re hunting for treasure.

5. Encourage Friendly Competition

Competition among kids is sometimes helpful and sometimes harmful, but you know your family best. If your kids would benefit from some lighthearted competition, you could hold a contest to see who can run the fastest or who can do the most push-ups.

6. Set Limits on Screen Time

Unfortunately, technology is often one of the biggest obstacles when trying to encourage kids to exercise. Screens can be addictive, so setting strict limits on screen time may help your kids get outside and enjoy a wider variety of activities. Alternatively, you can incorporate technology into their exercise by using an activity tracking app or following along with workout or dance videos.

7. Lead by Example

Children pick up on their parents’ habits very easily. If you don’t seem to value exercise yourself, your kids probably won’t see a reason to be active. Join your kids on bike rides, play sports with them in the yard, or go on walks with the whole family to set a good example.

8. Focus on Fun

Exercise should be fun for everyone, but it’s especially important that kids enjoy physical activity. When your children exercise, they shouldn’t feel like they’re working out for the sake of working out. They should be participating in activities that they find fun and exciting. Some kids love playing organized sports, and others prefer dancing to music at home. It may take time to find the activities that are intrinsically motivating for your kids, but when you do, they’ll be far more likely to keep going.