A child would need at least some amount of physical activity on a daily basis in order to remain healthy, fit and active. You can present these activities in the form of playful exercises that would help keep the child motivated to exercise daily. Accordingly, here are some reasons why your child should be playing out in the garden and not watching TV or playing video games all day long.
Improve Motor Skills
Playing in a park or playground would enable your kid to develop his/her reflexes and motor skills. Studies have revealed that an improvement in motor skills would usually lead to an improvement in other areas like self-confidence, coordination and ability to socialize. Therefore, children who exercise on a daily basis exhibit more positivity in their outlook.
Manage Weight
The number of children who are becoming obese in the United States is increasing day by day. Children who develop obesity at a young age would be more prone to develop other health related ailments like diabetes and heart diseases as they grow. Exercising regularly on the other hand, can help these children manage their weight, and prevent them from falling into the trap of childhood obesity.
Develop Long Term Healthy Habits
Teaching your kids the benefits of exercising regularly would help them continue the habit as they grow up. The motivation that you give for them to maintain their weight would help them develop other healthy habits as they grow, like opting for healthier foods. Thus, you would be doing your kid a favor by moving him/her away from a sedentary lifestyle that could potentially be life threatening for him/her in the coming years.
Keep it Simple while Exercising
Unlike adults, children do not need to opt for a strict exercise schedule or program. Rather, just running around, climbing stairs and jumping around would provide them with the exercise their bodies need. Simple playground games would help build strong bones, increase strength and flexibility, and increase endurance as well. A child would need at least 60 minutes of exercise on a daily basis, and you can cut down this period into smaller activity periods in order to let your child recover regain his/her energy during the short breaks. Encourage them to act sportingly and not take up anything on a competitive spirit as this would spoil the fun of exercising and start demotivating them in the end.