Get kids moving to help avoid obesity

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently advised parents to make sure children get an hour of physical activity each day to fight obesity. But you don’t have to force your kids to do timed sprints. That hour can be accumulated in short bursts through games that you both enjoy.

“For any individual child the key is to get them to do activities that are fun so they’ll be interested and want to do more of that activity,” said Dr. Eric Small, a co-author of the policy statement.

For example, walk your child to school or the bus stop by playing the classic game Follow the Leader. The leader can jump up on a curb, hop on one foot five times, or limbo under a tree branch. The game can get kids as young as 2 moving and help them learn to embrace an active lifestyle.

Other fun ways to help kids stay fit, some maybe even their parents will enjoy:

• For kids as young as 3 and as old as 13, Cheryl Jones, founder of Sports Club for Kids, a division of Town Sports International, suggests investing in physioballs. The brightly colored balls that can be found in nearly every gym start at $12. Pair the balls with a set of drumsticks (or even wooden spoons), turn on some music, and work up a routine of squats, jumps and dance moves while keeping the beat by drumming on the physioballs. Have an older child set up the routine or, better yet, let the kids mirror you doing the movements – they will love seeing you in a goofy light.

• For kids over 6, set up an obstacle course in your house or yard, Jones suggested. You don’t even need the fancy equipment: Kids can weave around chairs, jump over and on pillows, and crawl through a tunnel made of blankets draped over furniture. (Of course, cones, small hurdles, a mini-trampoline and fabric tunnels may add to the game’s novelty.) Time them to see how quickly they can get through the course. For kids who like competition, you can challenge them to beat a sibling’s or a friend’s time.

• Tag is big with kids of all ages. Rose Kennedy, author of “The Family Fitness Fun Book,” says little kids can play the simple version. For older kids, play it in the dark with a flashlight. When the player who is “it” shines the light on another player, that person becomes “it.” For mixed age groups, pair players together – an athletic teen might have to carry a 3-year-old on his shoulders or play the entire time holding his partner’s hand.

The key, according to Small, is exposing kids, especially young kids, to an active lifestyle so it’s part of their normal routine.

“It’s much harder to change later, after 10, 12 years of bad habits,” he said.