Exercise fun for Children!

Sometimes we struggle ourselves to get motivated to do exercise! – We all know we should and make healthier food choices but when it’s  cold, and generally  wet outside, it’s easier said than done.

If we cannot motivate ourselves, how can we motivate our children to enjoy an active lifestyle?

So how do we make exercise more fun?

Here’s some free ideas for making exercise enjoyable – without stressing anyone out!

A good pair of wellies is a great place to start – if your child has a favourite pair or coloured wellies, maybe with Peppa Pig on or another Disney favourite, they are more likely to want to wear them… and take them out for a walk. This is a great opportunity for a little  jumping in muddy puddles or messy play (see our recent article).

Don’t say  ‘let’s go for a walk’ turn it into an adventure. ‘Let’s go for a treasure hunt’ is more likely to make a child want to take part. Create a list beforehand of things to find when you’re out and about such as a daffodil, blossom tree, dog, or green car, and there could even be a reward at the end.

Let your child decide where to go for the ‘adventure’… plant the idea early in the day so it’s not a surprise and build on the event beforehand with “we could do this” or “lets see who can find the most different types of flowers” etc (maybe even a little reward at the end for the winner).

Play games while you’re out on a walk such as I-Spy or hide and seek.

Cycling is a wonderful way to travel further and see more – if they’re too small for their own bike, seats that can attach to an adult’s bike are a relatively cheap option. Make riding a bike a family affair.

And don’t forget snacks and drinks, even with all of the fun, their little legs will tire before yours and healthy snacks are a great way to give them more energy.

What other ideas are there?

Then of course there’s the other options – ones that may cost a little money but deliver bags of fun, and exercise at the same time, such as Swimming, Ice-skating, Sport classes etc.