I was having a conversation with a mother of two the other day. She told me about one of her afternoon walks with her two kids, which she takes daily to keep the family happy and healthy. She told me she used to schedule playdates or take the kids to practice, but this is no longer a thing with the COVID-19 restrictions. Her children’s physical health is something she wanted to stay on top of, and she was unwilling to chalk it up to “another COVID loss.” She then started telling me about her mid-walk break to do calisthenics. “Did the kids join you too,” I asked. “No. They ran around trying to catch bugs.” I chuckled at this, in complete admiration of the innocence of childhood.
After the session, I found myself reflecting further. What were the everyday things I did when I was the age of her kids (ten- and eleven-years-old)? Well, I spent countless hours riding my bike up and down the street with my best friend. We built obstacle courses, played hide-and-seek, participated in the occasional basketball game at the park, and re-enacted all the wrestling moves we were constantly told not to do (The vertical suplex on the trampoline was amongst my favorite!). Great times I thought. But, what now? What great memories can today’s youth create? What will they look back on in thirty years and smile about. There were so many “normal” ways to stay physically active and have fun. What is available to today’s youth and their families who are faced with stay at home orders and social distancing restrictions?
Benefits
I’m sure it comes as no surprise that physical activity is very significant. Our children are no exception to this rule. The NFL Play 60 encourages kids to be physically active for at least sixty-minutes a day. Jump Rope for Heart provides opportunities for kids to get active, learn healthy habits, and give back through raising funds. Kidshealth.org lists a variety of benefits to kids exercising: stronger muscles and bones, leaner bodies, less risk of becoming overweight, lower chance of developing type 2 diabetes, lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, and a better outlook on life. Many parents have commented that their kids are much more engaging and enjoyable to be around when they’ve exercised (“When Timmy exercises, he doesn’t have all that extra energy to pick on his brother. It’s like night and day.”). Despite the commonly accepted idea that physical activity benefits our children, we might draw blanks when it comes to picking activities that will get buy in from today’s youth rather than grunts and moans.
Think Outside the Gym
There’s no one size fits all when it comes to physical fitness. If your kids are getting tired of walking the same loop, here are some close-to-home activities that might help change things up:
Have a virtual dance party or bring out those Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) games from yesteryears.
Find a local park or nature reserve that offers safe and scenic areas to walk, jog, and/or run. This could be combined with a dog and a picnic to make for a family friendly afternoon outdoors.
Bring back the family bike rides through the neighborhood!
Play active games as a family, such as soccer, basketball, wiffle ball, or football.
Grab a jump rope and sidewalk chalk and take to the driveway. Get creative with your hopscotch design or create a family competition by forming teams to jump rope.
For the kids who aren’t big on the great outdoors, perhaps try indoor activities, such as yoga or other weightless workouts that can be streamed and performed in the living room.
Gardening and yard work can be used to not only get exercise but also to teach life lessons. I can still remember the first time I tasted a fresh, yellow, garden tomato and the work that went into it.
Regardless of what form your exercise takes, remember the value of modeling. Children look to their parents to help determine what is important and valuable in life. Create a routine that involves regular exercise and stick to it. May your professional bug catchers and DDR legends live long, healthy lives.
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