While juggling work and family, remember research shows active parents raise active children. So keep your family moving by making fitness a priority in your daily schedule.
Fitness and pediatric experts recommend that healthy children stay active all day, getting at least an hour of moderate-to-vigorous activity. This will help them maintain a healthy weight and keep their bodies healthy.
We know an hour a day sounds like a huge chunk of time, but there are many ways to incorporate activity into your family’s routine. And every little bit adds up. Try some of these ideas:
- Schedule family playtime. Take a walk, have a dance-off or play a family game of tag after dinner. Pick activities that require movement.
- Enjoy outside. Schedule a time each day for an outdoor activity with your children. Even as the coronavirus pandemic still necessitates social distancing, you can hike a local nature trail or ride a bicycle path.
- Limit screen time. Experts suggest one to two hours of screen time a day is best for children, but some are logging more than double that amount, especially while distance learning is the new norm. Still, try to set boundaries. Keep the television and electronic media out of your child’s bedroom and limit computer usage to school projects.
- Choose active toys. Give children toys that encourage physical activity, such as jump ropes, kites, balls and skateboards.
- Plant a garden. Caring for plants gives your children a reason to get outside each day. Learning how to grow a garden teaches about the food system, and sampling the produce encourages healthy eating habits.
- Chip in with chores. Do home-maintenance projects—raking leaves, spreading mulch, cutting grass, shoveling snow—as a family. Improve your house’s curb appeal and your family’s health—win-win!
