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Have you ever seen kids in a playground? If the answer is yes, then you must have noticed how much children love moving around and being physically active. Be it – swinging from those monkey bars or climbing up the slide just to slide down again children tend to have the time of their life being involved in physical activities. And why not, considering how important physical activities are for early child development? So, have you been trying to look for some physical activities that will be perfect for your little one’s overall development not just for today but also for their future? If the answer is yes, then let’s jump right into it.

Physical Activities and Why Your Children Need Them.

Before we talk about the physical activities perfect for your kids are you curious about its several benefits? Well, simply put, to ensure kids develop healthy habits right from their childhood a healthy, active lifestyle is a must. And we can all agree how important physical activities are for everyone. But it’s especially necessary for kids as it:

• Helps in the development of strong bones
• Makes them more flexible
• Keeps their lungs and hearts healthy and strong
• Maintains healthy body weight
• Improves their self-esteem and mood
• Lowers risk of multiple diseases
• Helps them relax and therefore sleep better
• Ensures that they get along well with others easily
• Makes them cooperate and share with others
• Helps perform better academically

Thus, we can see that physical activities are an extremely essential part of playing and learning. And when kids engage in physical activities it becomes a great way to build healthy relationships with community and family.

What Are Physical Activities?

Physical activities are those activities that involve moving our bodies. This includes exercising, organized sports, physically active sports, and everyday activities. Light physical activities involve going for a stroll or standing up to play musical instruments or paint. Whereas moderate physical activities are the ones that can make your child huff and puff a little. These activities might include:

• Riding to the park or a friend’s house
• Walking fast or running
• Swimming
• Flying kites or jumping in puddles
• Skipping or dancing

Now comes the vigorous physical activities that make children not only huff and puff but also sweat a lot while playing. Vigorous physical activities include:

• Riding fast
• Running and playing games like “chasey” or “keeping off”
• Playing organized sports like football, soccer, etc

Certain activities, like climbing, jumping, running, and lifting are known to strengthen muscles and bones. But not just these, all vigorous and moderate physical activities like twirling, kicking, throwing, dancing to music, or simply playing with playground equipment help build bones and muscles. This is why children need to be encouraged to engage in energetic playing to help them be more active.

Daily Physical Activities for Your Child

Now that you know about the several benefits of physical activities, let’s talk about some physical activities which suit your little one. Keep in mind, when choosing any physical activity that the focus should always be on your child having fun. Because the more your child enjoys doing something, the more likely it is they will keep doing it. Also, remember the physical activities that they truly enjoy will not only increase their ability to move but also boost their confidence.

Playing with your preschool goer or toddler requires them to have plenty of space and free time to play and run around. Sporting grounds, school playgrounds, parks, beaches, and backyards are all great options for your child to play around.

Now let’s talk about some fun physical activities your child will love:

• Making up games that involve moving or running around. For example, scooting, walking or running along chalk lines, chasing bubbles, and jumping over cracks or puddles on the ground.

• Using soft large balls for practicing kicking, bouncing, hitting, or catching. You can always start with something small and easy to handle like a bean bag. And in case, you are looking for an alternative to balls for spaces that are not safe for balls you can use some rolled-up socks.

• Inventing some silly runs and walks with your little one is a great way of not only spending time with them but also is a fun physical activity. You can also play, guess the animal game whereby you hop like a bunny or jump like a monkey.

• Make various sounds or play multiple kinds of music with instruments or your voice. This encourages dancing among kids while also helping develop a sense of rhythm.

• As soon as your child is ready, try making them learn a tricycle, scooter, or bike. Make sure that they are under constant supervision as they learn to ride. Also, try introducing your child to various other toys like lawnmowers, doll prams, or even trucks as most children enjoy playing with all of these toys.

• Kids tend to get bored easily, and sometimes taking them for a stroll or walk is all that you need to get them involved in some physical activities. So next time you are running some errands leave your vehicle at home and walk down to the supermarket or nearby shop with your kid. You could also take the stroller or pram to the nearest park in case your kid is small, and they are not used to walking for long.

How Much Healthy Activity Does Your Child Need?

Children from 1 year to 3 years need to be physically active every day for at least 3 hours, including energetic play like kicking, throwing, and dancing to music. Whereas, children of 3 years to 8 years need to engage in physical activities for at least 3 hours every day and one hour of energetic playing.

Your young child could also be interested in organized sports, if that’s the case, then look for a non-competitive sport, or there are also options like dancing, swimming, or gymnastics. Junior physical activities and modified sports focus on developing social and physical skills while also building confidence.

Now in case, your child has some medical condition, disability, or additional needs before engaging them in physical activities, it’s important to consult a health professional. This will help you get an idea about the physical activities your kid needs to engage in as well as the number of hours they need to be doing them every day.

Physical activities are an essential component of a child’s overall wellness and health. This is because giving time for regular physical activities has not only short-term but long-term benefits as well. Exercise, therefore, is a necessity for every individual throughout their lives, and this is why kids need to be educated about the benefits of physical activities right from their childhood.

The best playschool and childcare service at Footprints includes physical activities as we understand how much of important a component it is for your kid’s healthy development. Footprints create a safe environment for kids by keeping their actions and goals in mind which allows them to play and explore in safe ways while adding to their social, physical, and mental development. But that’s not all, Footprints also make sure that we provide play-based activities and games that help combine physical activities with your kid’s abilities and interests.