Keeping Your Pre-schooler Active

Much has been written over the past several years about childhood obesity and how this epidemic seems to be affecting children at younger and younger ages. Whether or not you are personally concerned if your child is heading in the wrong direction, making the right nutrition and fitness decisions while your child is young will have an impact on their health as an adult.  The children’s health and fitness website www.healthychildren.org recently posted an article on the importance of keeping your preschooler active. It mentions reducing the number of hours your child sits in the front of the TV everyday and to encourage a more active and less static lifestyle. While this isn't ground breaking news - it is important to understand the impact of letting your kids at an early age habitually sit in front of the TV playing video games all day is not healthy.

There are great ideas for helping your pre-schooler get enough active time, even for busy families. One fun idea is ‘I Can Spell My Name Hopscotch’ or everyone’s favorite – tag! Freeze tag is a good variation of this game because it helps develop children’s motor and listening skills. As winter approaches and day light savings time has reduced the amount of ‘outside’ time kids have before dinner, some safe indoor activities include hula hoop and ‘Balloon Badminton’. These ideas are sure to get you and your child working up a sweat in no time!