Having regular physical activity is an essential part of maintaining a child’s overall health. Regularly active children benefit from both improved physical as well as mental development. Children under six years of age are encouraged to be regularly active throughout the day, and older children and teens should have at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily. While it may not be feasible to supervise your children in outdoor play times every single day due to busy work and living schedules, indoor exercises can help to meet your child’s needs. Here are some strategies you can implement.

Create A Schedule Of Activities

Much like a workout plan for adults, have a similar schedule for your children. You may choose to allocate different activities for them to do indoors, such as jumping jacks or skipping rope, dancing or yoga, based on days of the week or alternating days. Find some exercises that your kids enjoy and switch them up every once in a while. Setting incremental goals helps with motivation and drive. Put up a chart of these activities and track their progress so they can follow along.

Work Out Together With Them

The best motivation for kids is seeing their parents do exercises together with them. Take time off from work or chores to join your kids in a few, if not all, the exercises. Make it a family thing, so that everyone gets involved and engages in a fun activity together. Children really appreciate it when parents participate in activities that they are asked to do as well, and it can really turn the mood of the children around 180 degrees. Working out together can be a great family bonding experience too.

Install A Home Gym

If you can’t keep up with your kids’ energy levels, let them entertain themselves for hours on end with a home gym playground. Several testimonials have shown that kids of various age ranges love having a climbing gym or playground right in their own homes. It also gives you something that kids can do with their friends when they come to visit. They contain various fun workout elements, such as ladder, horizontal bar, ring and rope elements. Home gyms come in a variety of types, and you can choose one which strikes your child’s fancy the most – browse home gyms online. Best of all, a home gym is something parents can use as well.

Put On A Workout Video

The internet contains a multitude of resources to promote the health and wellness of kids and parents alike. Sometimes, you may be able to find some workout videos that are suitable and exciting for both your kids and yourself. Get everyone in front of the TV in the evenings and do a 20 minute workout together following an instructor on the screen, from a video. This can be a great way to instantly have a routine that the whole family can follow, even if you didn’t have much time to prepare anything beforehand.