Kids Exercise Routines

Kids need exercise to be healthy now and in the future. They benefit most from exercises that hit the three essential fitness areas: endurance, strength and flexibility. Making exercise fun and challenging will ensure that your child will continue to enjoy and benefit from exercise throughout his or her life.

Endurance

• Endurance exercises develop healthy hearts and lungs. While some kids love distance running, fast-paced running games like tag and soccer are also effective endurance activities. If your child prefers to exercise alone or with one or two friends, consider biking, in-line or ice skating or swimming.

Strength

• Building muscle strength does not require a weight room. Many kids naturally gravitate towards the jungle gym on the playground, which provides many opportunities for strength work. Pull-ups, monkey bars and climbing are fun ways to exercise and strengthen muscles. For older kids, sit-ups, crunches and push-ups are good options. If you challenge kids with these exercises in a good-natured competition, the investment and benefit will be even greater.

Flexibility

• Working on flexibility can happen through formal stretching exercises, but many younger kids need something more engaging. Reaching for a toy that is beyond reach and bending to tie shoes are activities that aid flexibility. Dancing promotes flexibility and fun movement. This can be done in a formal class, but simply putting on music with a catchy beat will also get kids moving, stretching and having a good time.