Tips For Getting Your Kids Active

“I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Reebok and Finish Line. I received product samples and a promotional item to thank me for participating. As always, my opinions in this post are completely my own.”

Anyone who drives by a playground can see that kids are naturally active. They love to run and climb. They love to organize games with their friends and they like to be outside. But sometimes, especially in the winter, our kids lose the desire to get up and move. Here are some tips you can use when your kids start turning into couch potatoes.

1. Make it easy for the kids to play. Get them tennis shoes and shorts. Active clothing that encourages exercise. My son loves wearing sports pants. They are not really sweat pants and they are not jeans. You know the ones. If you have a 10 year old son, odds are, he probably loves wearing them too. There is just something special about cool tennis shoes. It makes the kids feel like they can run really fast! My son’s favorite shoes are these new Reebok Kid Zig Line, Kids Big ‘N Fast EX.

He is a really active kid. He is always running, jumping and playing soccer. These are his favorite shoes for on the basketball court and out on the playground. His feet are still growing so I know how important it is to buy him shoes that support his feet properly. The fun zig zag pattern makes the shoes fun and “springy”, or so he says.

They are made with lightweight foam so they don’t slow him down. He loves the color combo we picked because they are his brothers High School colors and his soccer teams colors. He was so excited to get them on and run outside to play!

2. Turn off the electricity in the house. Not literally. But say to them “Anything that runs on electricity or batteries gets turned off NOW!” If kids are allowed to use their electronics all day long, they have no reason to get up and move. They will sit on the couch all day long.

3. Have a holding place for all electronics so the kids can’t sneak away somewhere else just to sit. We have the kids put all their electronics on top of the microwave at our house. This is in plain sight and my kids know I will see if they take them.

Here is a cute idea for turning an old bread box into a cell phone charging station from Four Generations One Roof.

4. Organize play dates or neighborhood games for your kids. When other kids are around, everyone is more likely to come up with a fun game to play. Even if it’s snowing or raining outside, you can build a fort, play hide and seek or create a maze to climb through inside the house. My kids love to play night games when the weather is good. Just be sure to find a large field away from busy roads for them to play in. Get a basketball hoop for your driveway and watch the kids roll in after school!

5. Sign your kids up for sports, dance, gymnastics etc. Anything that they have an interest in. Let them try it for a season so they can decide which one is their favorite. It’s best to start young so your child will develop a passion for it. The best way to start this is registering them though city sports. It’s usually only about $25 for the whole season and you just have to buy a jersey that is reversible. When they are older and really know what they like, then you can start looking into competitive leagues. This helps keep your children active throughout the week with practices and games.

6. Get active with your kids. Go outside with them and play tag, red rover, soccer, baseball, basketball, or just roll down a hill. Go to a park and play with your kids. Don’t just sit and watch. Get involved. Find a cool new hike that you haven’t been on and take the whole family. You can find nearby Parks, Trails, Camping Sites and more at nwf.org. Then read my 10 Tips for Hiking with Kids to make sure you’re prepared before you go. Go bowling, mini golfing, batting cages, laser tag etc. There are so many things you can do as a family to keep physically active. That way you are subconsciously telling them that movement and activity is important to you too.