Kids Fitness: 5 Factors You Must Consider before Getting Started

If you take a look at the local elementary school, middle school, or high school you’ll notice a big difference from just twenty years ago; kids are unfit and it shows! Kids today are being hit with diabetes, obesity, cancers, and even heart problems. The problem just keeps getting worse. Kids fitness must be a part of every child’s daily life, especially for those who are already dealing with health consequences.

As a result of poor eating habits as well as not getting out and running, skipping, jumping rope, climbing trees, and more normal outdoor exercises today’s generation of children face an uphill battle for good health. Implementing kids fitness is something we all must take seriously.

But before you send your son or daughter to lift weights there are a few important factors to consider so they will not just exercise and get fit but learn to really love moving their bodies. Finding the right fit for each child is essential in creating individuals who will stay with exercising and be healthy and fit for the rest of their lives.

1)    Age Appropriate Activities

This is a great place to begin. There’s a lot a twelve year old can do that an eight year old simply can’t. The type of kids fitness a child engages in should be much different (and sometimes the same) at different age levels.

Your three year old will need you in the pool alongside of them while swimming while your fourteen year old won’t. In fact they’ll be able to do it alone with a lifeguard on duty.

Be sure you select activities that are age appropriate for you child and vary them as they get older. This is where many people go wrong. They pick exercises for their children that are either too juvenile or too old.

2)    Ability Level

Right along with age consider the ability level of each child you want to get started with kids fitness. Every child of nine years old probably can’t do the same things equally well.

Some children are more coordinated than others; some are just a bit clumsier. Be sure you don’t choose activities for kids fitness that your child won’t be able to do, especially when you first get started. It’s great to challenge your child (and yourself) but you want them to also build confidence and that comes from success.

Start off slowly with activities that are appropriate for your child’s ability. Move up gradually once they master them to more challenging ones. Keep a balance between new challenging exercises and mastered exercises.

3)    Consider Your Child’s Unique Goals

Every child has a different set of skills as well as a unique set of goals in kids fitness. Some children need to lose weight and get in shape. Other children want to focus on specific sports training to excel in a particular sport such as soccer or softball.

Whichever category your child fits into keep it in the forefront of your mind when you’re planning kids fitness for them. For instance if your child doesn’t swim, have them take swimming lessons. There are programs for weight loss, sports specific training, and many more that focus on specific needs of children.

4)    Interest Areas

The idea with kids fitness is not only to get them fit today but nurture in them a love of being fit and moving their bodies – no matter what route they choose.

Zero in on what your child loves to do. Ask them what exercise interests them. Is it yoga, zumba, dance, horseback riding, tae kwon doe, running, swimming?

There’s so much to choose from there’s sure to be one that your child is at least attracted to for starters.

5)    Available Resources

Finally as you consider kids fitness think about what resources are available to you. Nature offers a wide variety of opportunities for moving your body and getting fit.

There are also DVD’s, gym memberships, kids fitness groups, at home gyms, and On Demand exercise channels on the television. Be open to using resources you may have previously not considered.

When you’re planning or thinking about a kids fitness program keep in mind these five points and you’ll create a child who looks and feels great and will love to exercise for life!