What Exercises Are Best For Children?
Regular exercise is part and parcel of a healthy lifestyle for children as it lays down the groundwork for future healthy habits. Also, it can lower the risk of developing overweight in adulthood or for developing type 2 diabetes. Targeting particular muscle groups early on can also prepare your child for far more complex motor skills later on, such as dribbling a basketball or riding a bike.
What follows are suggestions for simple exercises for children — movements and games that they’ll enjoy and also benefit from. These ideas involve no equipment or large outdoor spaces. They can be performed in small spurts of five to 10 minutes or – alternatively – you can string a number of different activities together for a lengthier physical playtime.
Begin with a couple of minutes of warm-up exercises to get muscles and hearts moving.
Bench Step-Ups
Build leg and glute strength with step-ups. Step on the right foot, then left, up onto a small bench and then step down. Vary which of the legs steps up first with each and every set. A durable step stool or bottom step of a staircase works really well for this exercise.
Cycling
Cycling is a very easy workout for the ankle and thighs. Besides this, it relaxes the mind and body by allowing the child to enjoy the scenic beauty around.
How to:
- Find a proper location for your child to cycle.
- Make sure that it’s in a greener area, far from traffic.
- Make sure that your child wears the correct riding gear – long-sleeved tees, long pants, covered shoes, knee as well as elbow pads.
- The child needs to wear a helmet that fits their size.
- Allow them to cycle during the daytime or afternoons and not after dark.
Bear Crawls
Bear crawls are full-body movements which help to increase strength and coordination. These target the following muscle groups:
- Upper body muscles, including shoulders, chest as well as the arms.
- Lower body muscles, as well as quadriceps and hamstrings in the legs.
You are able to encourage small children to do bear crawls by tapping into their imaginations. Have your children pretend that they are ears, moving around in a forest looking for food or attempting to catch another animal.
Indoor Ball Games
Playing ball games indoors or outdoors can be fantastic exercise for children and will keep them busy while you enjoy some FIFA World Cup betting too. A number of the benefits include aerobic exercise, balance as well as coordination practice. (Plus, children usually move toward any activity which involves a ball.)
Some great examples of indoor ball games that don’t necessitate a lot of space include the following:
- Throwing balls into laundry baskets
- Smacking balls at a target with a household object
- Catching balls using a plastic mixing bowl
- Throwing, rolling, or kicking a ball against an outside wall
Burpees
Build upper and lower body strength (as well as cardiovascular endurance) with burpees. From a standing position, squat down and put your hands flat on the floor. Jump your feet right back into a plank position. After this, lower the body to the floor for a push-up. Then, push back up to a plank. The final move is to hop your feet back up to your hands and stand up.
