{"id":7967,"date":"2016-10-04T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-10-04T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/togethercounts.com\/4-tips-to-motivate-kids-to-be-active\/"},"modified":"2016-10-04T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-10-04T00:00:00","slug":"4-tips-to-motivate-kids-to-be-active","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/togethercounts.com\/es\/4-tips-to-motivate-kids-to-be-active\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Tips to Motivate Kids to Be Active"},"content":{"rendered":"

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You\u2019ve likely heard the statistic before: over one-third of children and adolescents are overweight. That number has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the last 30 years, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> (CDC). The CDC suggests lowering the risk of obesity and its associated health problems through a healthy diet and increased physical activity.<\/p>\n

Schools play a vital role in establishing these healthy habits and helping children develop a positive relationship with their health. As a Together Counts\u2122 partner, we want to encourage you to consider these ways you and your fellow educators can help motivate kids to be more active.<\/p>\n

Promote Game Play<\/strong><\/p>\n

Physical education is great for children and adults alike, but when children develop a poor relationship with exercise, they\u2019re unlikely to maintain an active lifestyle later in life<\/a>. That\u2019s why physical activity needs to be fun. When it feels more like a game than a chore, students will be excited to get moving!<\/p>\n

For instance, physical activity shouldn\u2019t be all about running laps. While running is excellent for your health, not all kids will enjoy it. Instead, try giving them an objective by playing games with them on the playground and in the gym. An aerobic game, such as Aerobic Bowling<\/a>, will get students running around, but they\u2019ll be more engaged since the game has a sense of purpose and strategy to it.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t forget that you don\u2019t need a gym or playing field to get kids to be active<\/a>. Kids can get moving with limited space, even if that means minor activities like standing or jumping. For instance, have your students stand in a circle and toss a ball or bean bag to each other. The one holding the object must answer the next question in your lesson. It may not seem like a lot, but simply standing can help combat some of the health issues associated with prolonged sitting. For more ideas for physical education and activity in tight spaces, check out the SPARK webinar \u201cNo Gym? No Problem!\u201d presented by Chairman Sutherland. You can view the free recorded webinar on SPARKecademy.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Avoid Using Physical Activity to Reinforce Behavior<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why do you think some children are reluctant to engage in physical activity? Is it perhaps because they view it as a punishment? When educators and parents use it as a punishment, it becomes that in a child\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n

For instance, when a student is late for practice, a coach might tell him to do 20 pushups. If they\u2019re taught that physical activity is a punishment for their actions, they might not continue to enjoy it.<\/p>\n

Likewise, some educators believe that withholding physical activity doesn\u2019t help the situation, either. For instance, holding a child in from recess may teach him that physical activity and play aren\u2019t important to his overall well-being.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Make Everything a Competition<\/strong><\/p>\n

While many games played in PE class are all about one team winning or losing, it\u2019s important that students understand that not all forms of physical activity require competition. If they grow up learning that physical activity is all about the competition, how many do you think will develop a habit of activity when there aren\u2019t sports teams available to them?<\/p>\n

Instead, encourage children to find and pursue activities they enjoy. The more they like it, the more they\u2019ll be motivated to do it. For instance, while you can compete in swimming and biking, these can also be individual sports that are a lot of fun when done by yourself.<\/p>\n

While a healthy dose of competition is good, it\u2019s also worth exploring ways to promote individualized activities or those that are simply fun to do, like skating.<\/p>\n

Consider the Students\u2019 Ages<\/strong><\/p>\n

Each age group requires a different approach to physical activity since they\u2019re all at different levels. Consider the following guidelines, outlined by age:<\/p>\n

3-5 year olds:<\/strong><\/p>\n