24Sep2017
Exercises for Kids, Kids Fitness, Outdoor Play, Sports for Kids
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September 24, 2017

Via Lifeopedia: Six Tips for Teaching Sports to Kids

The Benefits of Sports Activities for Children

Sports provide many benefits to children. The games teach children teamwork
and help them develop a commitment to something bigger than themselves. However, you want to ensure that you introduce sports to your child or children in a positive and life-affirming way. That way, you can make the sporting event a pleasant experience for everyone.

Six Tips for Teaching Sports to Kids

Different sports require different skills. However, there are certain steps you should always take when introducing kids to the world of sports play. These steps include the following:

1. Plan your sessions in advance.

It is helpful to introduce the sport slowly rather than just jumping into a game. For example, if you are teaching a child to play baseball, then you might want to start with learning the fundamentals of catching, hitting and pitching before you delve into all of the rules and regulations of the game. You should introduce the skills slowly and have short sessions where kids can practice fundamentals. Plan these sessions in advance so you know what activities you will be covering and what information you want to impart.

2. Get the necessary equipment.

While you don’t want to spend a ton of money on equipment until you are certain that your children will enjoy the sport, you do need to ensure that you have the basic equipment needed to participate in the sport. You can often buy used sporting equipment inexpensively online, in local classifieds or resale stores.

3. Teach safety first.

One of the first lessons that should be taught to kids is how to participate in a sport safely. Explain the basic rules of the game and the fundamentals of safety when participating in sports. Be sure to explain the importance of any safety equipment or pads that may need to be warn during play.

4. Start teaching the basics.

At each sporting session, you can spend a little bit of time on the basics of the game. You want to ensure that the kids have a good time and do not get bored by mundane practice drills. This means you will typically want to have several different activities at each session, focusing on a different aspect of game play. For example, you may plan a four minute warm-up, followed by four minutes of throwing and four minutes of catching. You can then try a catch and run activity. Both explain how to do the essential tasks of the game and illustrate the essential skills by showing the kids what they need to do. Then, give the children lots of time to practice each skill, gently offering suggestions on how to improve their technique.

5. Work up to game play.

Once the children understand the basics of how to play a game, introduce playing in a low-pressure way. You typically do not want to keep score right away. Be sure that every child on the team has a chance to play and to enjoy the sports experience.

6. Sportsmanship.

Focus on being a good winner and a good loser. Kids need to know that not everyone is going to be great at sports, and that they cannot win every game. It is important to teach kids how to be gracious whether they play well or play badly.

Keep in mind that while adults tend to be competitive in nature, unlike winning being at the top for most adults, children are playing for fun (depending on the age). For most children, fun is listed as the top reason for participating in sports. The goals of sport participation at a young age is to stay active, stay fit, learn new skills and valuable lessons such as good sportsmanship and establish a healthy competitive nature.

13Sep2017
Exercises for Kids, Kids Fitness, Sports for Kids
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September 13, 2017

Via Today: ‘What does your child do?’: What to consider when choosing activities for kids

“What does your child do?” Do? Ummm, he plays a little, sleeps not enough, smiles at me, and has a lot of bodily functions that I’d rather not discuss here in line at the grocery store. What in the world did this mom-acquaintance mean what did my 9 month old “do?”

I hadn’t been living in a cave… well, I had actually, the call room at the hospital where I was a third year medical resident was underground and pretty dark. In any case, I just didn’t realize that there was such pressure to enrich babies! That was thirteen years ago, and I’ve learned a bit since then. There are a million “classes” in which even babies can be enrolled.

Signing kids up for activities is a great idea, but also can be overwhelming for many parents. So, how do you know what to pick and when? These three questions will help you in the process.

1. How old is your child?

  • Up to age 2 or 3 most kids do best in a grown-up-and-them class.
  • If it’s a solo experience for your child, don’t expect them to love the idea right away.
  • Buddies help in the preschool years, and beyond
  • Involve your elementary school and older kids in the plan. Give them experience figuring out how much and what they can do.

2. What’s the schedule?

  • Don’t overbook your kiddo! “Downtime” is great for kids — they do their best learning during unstructured time, at every age. A lot of good comes out of relaxing, finding your own fun, having the freedom to join a game in the building or the neighborhood or just learning how to bust boredom.
  • Pay attention to your child’s routine. No matter how great the class is, if it falls during nap or mealtime there’s a good chance it will be an epic failure.
  • Put your family’s priorities first. It’s great to protect dinnertime, or to make sure that everyone is around for family movie night.
  • Think about homework. I wish kids under high school didn’t get homework, but they do — so don’t set your child (and you) up for stress by taking away all the time she needs to get it done and still get to relax a little.

3. Which activity should you pick?

This is the hardest — and most fun — question you’ll face!

  • Try not to force it. Most of the time, there is nothing to be gained by signing a child up for something they don’t want to do. Learning happens best when kids feel optimistic and engaged. So make sure you pick from a list of activities your child at least thinks she wants to try!
  • Consider your values. Having seen a family at football practice who didn’t believe in violent contact sports, it’s clear that a child’s desire to try something shouldn’t become more important than what the parents believe is right or wrong. Just practically speaking, if your kiddo falls in love with an activity that you think is damaging, that’s not going to be a successful experience for anyone!
  • Think about the life lessons. Will a particular activity teach your child perseverance? Teamwork? Flexibility? Problem-solving? Patience? Music appreciation?

And one last piece of advice: Aim for average!

Parents experience a lot of pressure to get kids “on the right path” if we want them to excel at something. There is no way to know, and no reason to care.We look at three year old bodies and minds, trying to figure out if this is a dancer, a ball player, a violinist, a linguist… We listen to our friends’ kids successes and think “My child should already be doing THAT!”

Most of our children will never be Olympians or stars. Let’s choose activities based on what they can do for our child, not what our child can do in that activity. When you look at a class or team or club, ask yourself…

“What if he was never great at this? Would it still be worthwhile?”

If the answer is yes, and he’s interested, sign him up!

5Sep2017
Exercises for Kids, Kids Fitness
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September 5, 2017

Via Active: How to Make Exercise Fun for Kids

When President Obama declared September Childhood Obesity Awareness Month last year, he stated that nearly one in every three children in America is overweight or obese.

How can we help children become healthier? By setting a great example for them: Join them for well-balanced meals and show them how much fun daily physical activity can be.

Use these tips to help children become and stay healthy:

Be a Team Player

Ask your child what activity he or she would like to learn and then sign them up. Some children enjoy competitive team sports including T-ball, softball, football, tennis, basketball, hockey or even Frisbee. Other children are more comfortable with non-competitive activities such as dancing, ice or roller skating, swimming, gymnastics or even yoga for kids.

Take a Class

Kids enjoy exercise classes for the same reasons adults do: the camaraderie of friends and the fun of following an instructor. Exercise classes for kids are wonderful ways for children to be exposed to both fitness and dance at once in a happy, non-competitive environment.

Neighborhood Fun

Encourage your children to play outdoors with kids who live nearby. A basic game of tag requires no equipment. In warm weather, let your children and their friends run through your sprinklers.

Indoor Fun

On rainy or snowy days, or for less athletically-inclined children, get their — and your — circulation going while indoors. Try a game of Twister, hold indoor ping pong tournaments or play hide and seek.;

Photo Credit: Health Save Blog

Use Technology

If your child seems more excited about texting friends than moving his or her body, lure them into exercise with technology. Try the Wii, which can be played indoors while requiring the body to simulate the motions of tennis, baseball, golf, bowling and boxing. Let your children invite their friends over for Wii’s “Just Dance Summer Party.”

Respect Their Level

Some children are natural athletes while others enjoy more relaxed physical pursuits. Respect your child’s level and work within it, only gradually increasing the intensity. As with adults, all children progress at a different pace. If walking around the neighborhood or a park is what your child enjoys, begin there. Then slowly add other activities such as tossing a ball. Walking might lead to hiking a more challenging mountain trail.

Cheerlead

Whatever physical activity your child chooses, be sure to encourage them. If they enjoy what they’re doing, they’ll do more of it. Just like adults, right?

16Aug2017
Kids Fitness, Outdoor Play
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August 16, 2017

Via Everyday Health: 5 Tips for Trampoline Safety

Trampolines can provide hours of outdoor entertainment for kids, but they can also cause hours inside the ER if you’re not careful. Follow these safety tips.

To many parents, a trampoline may seem like an innocent way for kids to have warm-weather fun, but if the right safety tips aren’t followed, your amateur gymnast could bounce right into the hospital.

According to the most recent statistics from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 87,000 kids in the United States visited the hospital in 2009 for a trampoline-related injury. In fact, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has warned against the use of trampolines in any home, school, or playground setting.

Most childhood accidents from trampolines occur in the upper extremities, such as the arms and wrists, says Meghan Imrie, MD, a clinical assistant professor of pediatric orthopedics at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Stanford, Calif. “It comes from falling improperly,” Dr. Imrie explains. “When you fall, your first instinct is to put your arms out in front of you, so that’s the area with the highest risk of injury.”

Other injuries can occur, too, such as sprained ankles and leg fractures. Though rare, there have also been reports of spinal cord injuries that resulted in paralysis.Younger children are the most likely to be injured because of their smaller size.

“Kids younger than 6 are lighter, and they’ll be the ones to sort of fly off if the bouncing gets too intense,” Imrie says. “Also, they don’t quite have the coordination and balance to protect themselves. There is a place for trampolines in a kid’s life, but it’s important to take steps to decrease the risk of injury.”

Many childhood accidents from trampolines are due to carelessness, and the majority of them can be prevented with a few precautions. Follow these safety tips the next time your kids want to head to the backyard for some bouncy fun:

Read the manual.

Follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions when assembling and using the trampoline. There may be maximum weight limits, for example, or specific methods for assembling the frame.

Pad it and lower it.

The bars framing the trampoline should be adequately padded to prevent bumped heads, and the surfaces around it should be cushioned in case of accidental falls. Lower the jumping surface closer to ground level, too; a fall from a higher surface means a greater risk of injury.

Keep trampolines off-limits to young children.

The AAOS advises against trampoline use by kids younger than 6. Remove ladders or any other devices that might allow young children to climb up by themselves.

Always supervise trampoline use.

Even older children should be watched while using the trampoline to prevent horseplay. Don’t allow jumpers to perform somersaults and other risky tricks without expert instruction and protective gear like harnesses.

Institute a “one-at-a-time” rule.

For maximum safety, only one child should be allowed on the trampoline at any given time. This keeps kids from being tossed around.“When you’re jumping with someone else, your timing gets thrown off,” Imrie explains. “You get their momentum as well, which can send you up higher in the air.” However, Imrie adds, part of the fun of a trampoline is bouncing with someone else, so if a multiple-bouncer situation is unavoidable, you should at least make sure that the kids are evenly matched in terms of weight and height.

There is no definitive answer on whether trampolines are safe to use, though caution is a must if you greenlight the activity. “It’s a trade-off between having fun and learning balance and coordination,” Imrie says, “and the risks that are inherent to using a trampoline.”

14Aug2017
Kids Fitness, Outdoor Play
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August 14, 2017

Via Parents: 19 Tips for Camping With Kids

Leave the screens behind and pitch a tent at your nearest campground for a nature-filled, home-away-from-home your kids won’t forget.

New at This? Camp Like a Champ

Stick to these do’s and don’ts when camping with young kids for the first time.

Don’t rough it. Car camping, in which you drive up to your campsite, is the way to go.

Plan ahead. Campgrounds, especially those in national and state parks, fill up quickly. Best to book six to nine months in advance. ReserveAmerica.com is the largest provider of campsite reservations in North America.

Conduct a test run. Try sleeping in a tent in the backyard first, suggests Vicki Wright, Girl Scouts of the USA Outdoor Initiative Lead. Take notes as you think of things you’ll need on a full-blown trip.

Rent a tent. Or borrow one instead, advises Wright. Public parks often have programs to lend camping equipment. You can also rent gear from websites like OutdoorsGeek.com.

Don’t overpack. Most people bring too many clothes, says Toby O’Rourke, of Kampgrounds of America. Leave the “just-in-case” items at home and know that you can re-wear things.

But do pack for all kinds of weather. Even if it’s hot during the day, the evenings can be cool—so bring an extra layer or fleece pullover/pants for nighttime, suggests Tom Kimmet, general merchandising manager at REI. Don’t neglect rain gear!

Unpack and set up camp while you still have light. Get the kids involved with a chore, like gathering kindling. Set up the tent first. Then, if you’re planning to cook over a fire, get it going right away (see our tips below).

Don’t be overambitious on Night 1. If you’re arriving at the end of the day, plan a super-simple meal.

Stick to your usual routine as much as possible, especially with young kids. Follow the same bedtime rituals and nap schedule to ensure a good (okay, a decent) night’s sleep.

Don’t unpack your devices. Leave the tablets at home, dig out your digital camera (or forgo pics), and stash your smartphones in the car for emergencies.

How to Build a Campfire

A roaring campfire is half the fun of camping—that is if you can get the darn thing lit. (Pro tip: Buy wood at the campsite. Many don’t allow you to bring from outside their forest.) Follow the advice of Tom Kimmet of REI for fire-building success:

  1. Bring some newspaper for kindling, and pack more than one source of fire, like matches and a lighter (in case one fails you). Fire-starters such as nontoxic Lightning Nuggets can also help start your blaze.
  2. Make a square using four large pieces of dry wood. Then put a pile of crumpled newspaper in the middle.
  3. Create a tepee shape of smaller wood pieces (#2-pencil size) inside the square of logs, directly on top of and around the newspaper kindling.
  4. Crosshatch mid-size pieces through the tepee in a #-shape.
  5. Light two or three sides of the bottom edge of the crushed paper to start.
  6. Keep adding to the # as needed to keep the fire going.
  7. Before you go to sleep, drown your fire with a 5-gallon bucket of water.

Breakfast Camp Bread

Whether you make homemade dough or cheat with biscuit dough from a can like we did, this campfire-cooked bread is a hit with kids. Simply stretch and wrap the dough around one end of a long, clean stick. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. Cinnamon-Sugar Mix for a hint of sweetness. Grill above the coals for about 5 minutes.

Pack Like a Pro

Check out our Ultimate Camping Packing List for a full list of everything you’ll need for a camping weekend with kids, including must-haves, nice-to-haves, and little luxuries. Plus, don’t forget these items that Parents editors and their family members say they couldn’t live without:

“I pack scissors to easily open packages of food, but I’ve also used them to free cords of wood and cut rope into a laundry line. I know a real outdoors woman would use a pocket knife, but I feel safer with scissors!” admits entertainment editor Jessica Hartshorn.

“Bring a winter hat,” says Declan O’Connor, son of senior editor Gail O’Connor. “At night it can get really cold, even in your sleeping bag.”

“I always pack a long rope to rig between two trees, where we hang wet stuff to dry—and also food, if we’re in an area with bears,” says deputy art director Maria Stegner.

“Forget instant coffee. I recommend a French-press coffee mug,” says editor-in-chief Dana Points.

“Come prepared with extra heavyduty garbage bags,” advises food stylist Stephana Bottom, who uses them to bag up sooty camp cookware at the end of the trip.

“Don’t leave home without a spade or small shovel,” warns executive editor Chandra Turner, who notes that you may need it for discreet bathroom trips.

Don’t Forget Lighting

The latest camp lights have extra functionality, like charging electrical devices or repelling bugs. No matter what types of light you choose, make sure you have multiple sources.

The lightweight Scout Lantern creates a 15-by-15-foot mosquito-free zone while also illuminating your campsite.

The mtnGLO Tent Light is a 100-inch strand of LED lights encased in nylon tubing, which clips to your tent frame.

15Mar2017
Exercises for Kids, Kids Fitness
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March 15, 2017

When adults think about exercise, we usually imagine the gym, running or a treadmill, or lifting weights. It is important you know that for kids, exercise is being physically active and having fun. So how will you teach the children about exercise? Let’s find out!

Teaching kids about exercise

Teach Them the Benefits of Exercise

Here are some of the benefits of exercise that kids need to know about. When teaching kids about exercise, tell them that they will have:

  • Won’t be overweight
  • Won’t be at a risk of developing diabetes
  • Will live a better life
  • Will have low cholesterol and blood pressure
  • Will have a leaner body and minimum body fat
  • Strong bones and muscles
  • Will sleep better


Elements of Fitness

If you want the kids to learn more about exercise, you need to teach them about all the small details. The three elements of fitness are:

  • Strength
  • Flexibility
  • Endurance

 

Now the main question is how can you develop all these elements when teaching kids about exercise? Here is how:

 

Endurance

The kids will develop endurance when they will do aerobics that will increase their heart rate and will deliver oxygen to all the cells of the body. Here are some sports that they can practice:

  • walking
  • tennis
  • swimming
  • soccer
  • running
  • jogging
  • inline skating
  • ice skating
  • bicycling
  • basketball

KIDS EXERCISE

Strength

Strength doesn’t necessarily mean that they have to lift heavy weights. Lifting weights is great, but it should only be done under the supervision of an adult. Kids don’t need to lift heavy weights in order to be strong, because at their age it is all about eating a healthy diet and doing some regular exercise. The kids can do the following exercises to strengthen their muscles:

  • stomach crunches
  • Push-ups
  •  pull-ups

Flexibility

Flexibility is improved with the help of stretching exercises. When you stretch to your maximum potential, the joints and the muscles bend and you get a full range of motion. Encourage your kids to stretch every day, even if it only for five minutes.

Sedentary Lifestyle Is a Problem

One of the main problems that we are facing today is that our lifestyle is sedentary, which means that we are not moving as much as we used to, and the same goes for the kids. Kids these days watch TV for over seven hours, which means that they are not getting the right amount of exercise. When teaching kids about exercise, make sure that you encourage the kids to exercise and limit their TV time to maximum two hours per day.

Why Exercise Is Important

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) has provided the following guideline:

Age Minimum Daily Activity Comments
Infant No requirements Helps With motor Development
Toddler 1.5 hours Half an hour of planned activity and one hour of unplanned physical activity
Preschooler 2 hours One hour of planned activity and one hour of unplanned physical activity
School age More than 1 hour With a break after every 15 minutes
6Mar2017
Exercises for Kids, Kids Fitness
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March 6, 2017

In order to promote fitness in kids, we need to make sure that they are getting ample physical exercise because it helps in building strength and confidence. It is very easy for school going children to be physically active, as they have the chance of participating in a number of activities and sports. You simply need to encourage the child, to find something that suits their interest, age, and personality. Lot of parents wonder, how much exercise their kid should be getting every day. Here is the fitness guideline that is recommended for school going to children:

• More than one hour of vigorous physical exercise that can be incorporated in p-lay and games
• Different bouts of physical activity for at least 15 minutes
• Avoiding inactivity for more than 2 hours, unless of course they are sleeping

Health and Fitness Activities for Kids

Practicing Fitness at Home

Fitness in Kids

If you are thinking about fitness, you can get your kids to think about sports. Here are some of health and fitness activities for kids to keep them moving inside the home:

• Make sure that physical activity is a part of their daily routine. You can ask them to run errands for you or can ask them to help you with every day chores.

• You should allow them ample time to play with their friends and siblings. Kids burn a lot of calories when they are left on their own. Some fun activities that every child loves include riding bicycle, playing tag, and building snowman during the winters.

• Make sure that they have all the proper equipment for the sports. You don’t have to buy expensive stuff to promote fitness or to plan health and fitness activities for kids; instead, you can get them jumping ropes, hula hopes, balls, and even a bicycle.

• Make sure that being active is something that everyone in the family practicing. You can’t expect your child to do something that you aren’t doing yourself.

• Limit all the sedentary activities to at least two hours and this includes watching TV, playing video games, and using gadgets.

If you feel that your child is very active, you can take them to the playground, because this is a great way for them to meet and play with other children.

Why Fitness Is Important

Fitness in kids is important because it helps them to learn about healthy completion, meeting challenges, learning about their true potential, learning about teamwork, and teaches them about the value of patience.

Exercise That Promote Fitness

Here are some of the exercises that will promote fitness in kids: 

  • Wrestling
  • Wheelbarrow, crab and bear-walk races
  • Tickle tag
  • Temper tantrum
  •  Sock skating 
  • Scavenger hunt
  • Pushover Parents
  • Popcorn pushups
  • Pillow fight
  • Parachute
  • Obstacle course
  • Jumping jacks
  • Jump rope
  • Hopscotch
  • Headstands
  • Hallway bowling
  • Freeze dance
  • Follow the leader
  • Dance party
  • Clean-up race
  • Carnival
  • Bubble wrap attackBubble bashing
  • Balloon ball
  • Animal races

These are just some of the health and fitness activities for kids that you can plan to keep them fit and healthy.

20Jan2017
Kids Fitness, Sports for Kids
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January 20, 2017

All parents want their children to excel in all aspects of life, which is why they pay attention to each and every detail. If you want your child to be an all rounder, you need to make sure that they are physically fit and are into sports. If you want your child to feel like a winner, you need to make sure that they have a positive outlook about sports and physical fitness in general. If you will do your job well, your child will learn a sport faster, will excel in it, and will eventually have a great self-esteem. The reason why it is important for your child to excel in sports is that it will serve as model to them when they will face other challenges in life. You need to know that your child can’t win without you and that you need to support them whether they win or lose.

 

How to motivate children to do their best

Teach Them about Healthy Competition

You need to teach your child that the person competing with them is a competitor and not an opponent. It is good to take a challenge and to test your limits, but they should know about all the rules that they should follow and should not view other children as ‘enemies’.  Remember that a child only performs well in sports if their parents support them through thick and thin. It is, therefore, very important that you motivate your child in sports.

Teach Them to Compete With Themselves

You need to tell your child that their ultimate goal is to improve, for which they need to challenge themselves and stay motivated. Winning is great, but tell your child that it is all about knowing their true potential. This way, your child will learn to focus on their abilities, will be more relaxed, and will perform better.

Don’t Define Success and Failure

Never equate success and failure with winning and losing, especially when it comes to sports. Remember that your child is in sports to be physically and mentally fit, and to master a skill. Teach them that losing a game does not mean failure and being an athlete is all about delivering your personal best.

Be a Facilitator Not a Coach

You are there to facilitate your child and to support them instead of bossing them around. Make sure that if you are present, you are providing them with empathy, support, and most importantly, encouragement. Unless you motivate your child in sports, they might not be able to excel.

Make the Sport fun For the Child

You need to make sure that the sport is fun for the child because this way they will not dread going to practice. When parents tell their child that they have to win no matter what, the child starts seeing the sport as a burden and starts dreading it. Make sure you tell them it’s all about having fun and is a journey of self-improvement while you motivate your child in sports.

Avoid Comparisons

Never compare your child to someone else’s because every individual is unique and have their own skills set. Make sure you tell your child that you love them unconditionally.

Tips To Help You Out

Here are some tips that will surely help you out to motivate your child in sports:

  • Let your child pick the sport they like
  • Ask all the family members to support them
  • Encourage them and help them stay motivated
  • Be present during all the important matches
  • Praise their efforts and not the result
13Mar2016
Kids Fitness, Outdoor Play
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March 13, 2016

Outdoor Playground

If you are thinking of what are some of the physical activities for kids you can start with. Think no more. It’s actually so much easier to get kids to exercise than adults. Rule of thumb – keep the fun, play and fit will follow!

Children’s Playground

An outdoor playground, is one of the best place to start. With all the running, jumping, climbing and stretching, to them it is all play but for us adults those are exercise for kids.

So, if you have one near you, go out and let them play! Let them be explorative and imaginative. Encourage them create their own games and enjoy their self-made little adventure. All we need to do is follow their lead. It is really that simple.

However, if they are stuck in a rut and no one’s moving. They’re all mopping around which may never happen obviously if they are at a playground. But just in case it does, here are some playground games using the equipments to spice things up:

Playground Olympics – The whole family can participate in this. The rules: You have to go through all the playground equipment (swing on swings, slide down slides, climb all the bars and rock the seesaws), and whoever gets through first wins. Repeat couple of times till tired or bored. If you have small kids, even you can get a workout by helping them with the equipment.

Standing Swing – Your child likes a bit of a challenge. This is how you play: Have your child stand with both feet on the swing and hold tightly onto the chains with both hands. For an older child, challenge core strength by encouraging him to get himself swinging independently.  For younger child, gently push and see if he can keep his balance and tolerate the sensory experience of swinging while standing. Stay close to your kids when they do this.

Monkeying Around – Monkey bars are always very popular with the older kids. Kick it up a notch by timing how fast your child could complete the bars. In no time, he will want to challenge his personal best time.

Role-playing Ground – Playground equipment are awesome for the role-playing games. Imagine it to be a spaceship, a castle or maybe mountains with waterfall! Sky’s the limit. Let their imagination run wild and you can play along too!

Ok, so enough of the reading for now. Go on move along now and enjoy your day out in the sun!

11Mar2016
Kids Fitness, Outdoor Play
March 11, 2016

 Kids Exercise

We live in Southeast Asia where it is mainly tropical-hot and humid all year round with plenty of rainfall. Yet with that much of sunshine, it’s so surprising to find out that there is a rise in vitamin D deficiency particularly in young children. The lack of Vitamin D in children can potentially cause rickets, delayed motor development, muscle weakness, aches and pains, and fractures.

About 80% of vitamin D is made by our skin when it is exposed to sunlight. Only a few food naturally contains vitamin D like fresh fatty fish (salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines), liver, mushrooms, cheese, egg yolks and fortified milk. *According to Professor Geok Lin Khor, International Medical University, Malaysia insufficiency levels of vitamin D are predominant among the primary school age children aged 6-12 years ranged from 30% to nearly 70% in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, depending on urban-rural locations and gender.

While we are not concluding that the lack of vitamin D in children and obesity correlates, but studies have shown that obesity and diet-related diseases are making its way to the tropics. Could it be due to our lifestyle? Are we focusing too much on education that our children are spending more time in sedentary activities and have less or no outdoor activities? *** Download our FREE “Fight the Flab” ebook for more information.

Benefit of vitamin D

Vitamin D helps our body absorb calcium for bones to grow, develop well and stay strong.

There are many indirect health benefit from the sun for children. By taking them outdoor for regular exercises and physical activities:

    • Reduces their risk of developing type 2 diabetes
    • Helps boost their immunity
    • Improves their metabolism, lowering risk of obesity
    • Facilitates better sleeping
    • Makes them feel good because exercise releases HAPPY chemical called endorphins

So what are you waiting for, time to take them outside and say “Hello Sunshine!”.

IDEA: Not sure where to go? Take them to The Playground. Be sure to teach your children about Sun Safety.

Reference

  1. ILSI Southeast Asia Region Seminar on Vitamin D in Nutrition and Health – PDF document
  2. Should we include a reference to our ebook here?
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