How To Get Children Moving and Make Exercise Fun

 

‘We all can dance if we find music that we love’. These words of wisdom come from a giraffe called Gerald in a book our co-founder Tracey used to read to her children when they were little, and she believes they can be applied to lots of life lessons - for children and adults! - but they especially ring true when it comes to exercise.  

Tracey's book Show Me is a collection of rhyming verses and beautiful illustrations which encourage young children to be active, inspiring them to play and have fun. Read on for her thoughts on how to get children moving more - and find out how to download her favourite Show Me verses for free.

 

 

I say this as a mum who has supported and encouraged my kids to be active and try different sports over the years, and I’ve seen first hand how it has helped their confidence and self esteem grow. And I’ve also loved seeing how much fun they’ve had along the way. - Tracey

 

Children were born to be active. They are always on the move as they develop from babies to toddlers, rolling then crawling and progressing from a wobbly walk to a full out run. But as they get older it can be challenging to keep them living such an active life. As parents and carers we face an uphill battle against the pull of sedentary apps and online games and the non-stop streaming of kid’s shows. Time that my generation would have naturally spent playing outside has to a large extent been replaced by screen time. 

But here’s the thing - if we can make exercise fun, then children are more likely to want to join in and naturally turn away from their devices. And the benefits will not only improve their physical and emotional health now, they will last into their teens and beyond. I say this as a mum who has supported and encouraged my kids to be active and try different sports over the years, and I’ve seen first hand how it has helped their confidence and self esteem grow. And I’ve also loved seeing how much fun they’ve had along the way. 

If you’re looking for inspiration, here are some ways to encourage your children to move more and have fun.

 

Spend Time In Nature.

We’re so spoiled when it comes to spending time outside here in Guernsey, with so many beaches right on our doorstep. But it can be easy to take it all for granted and stay inside. As adults we have to lead by example. When my kids were little we had a very active dog and I loved walking her. But I can’t lie, there were definitely times when ‘let’s take Rosie for a walk’ was met with a collective groan from the kids - and my partner! However, once we got outdoors and the kids started playing it was hard to get them to come back home.

Rock pooling and running around on the beach, making dens at Pleinmont, treasure hunts in the Saumarez Park and along the nature trail - it was all time spent exercising but it just felt like we were spending time enjoying nature, making memories and having fun.

 

Think Activities, Not Exercise.

Remember this is about getting young children to move more, so it’s about activities they will love and that’s not necessarily the same things that you would choose for yourself. What you think of as an enjoyable form of exercise might not be high on their list of fun activities. So it’s not about gym workouts or fitness techniques, it’s about games like tag and hide and seek and when you’re down at the Bathing Pools with the kids you’ll probably be splashing around more than swimming lengths.

Can't get outside? There are also lots of online apps and games that can get kids running, jumping and dancing around. It's all time spent having fun and laying down the foundations for a healthy lifestyle. 

 

Explore Different Activities.

For little ones, friendship and fun are at the heart of most sports and activities. They're simply playing games with their family and friends. But as they grow up it can become more competitive and the challenge is to keep it enjoyable and find the right activities for them. It's simple really - if they find something they love to do, they will want to carry on doing it. So whilst it’s natural that your children will gravitate to the activities you like, or want to do the same sports that are popular with their school friends, it’s important to keep the pressure off and let them try a few different things so they can find a good fit for them.

Maybe they’ll love football, or maybe dance will be their thing. And maybe that will change over time. Children - like many adults - can get bored with an activity and want to move on to something new. Luckily we’re spoilt for choice here in Guernsey with such an active community, so give your kids opportunities and hopefully they’ll find the right fit for them.

 

Move More Every Day.

Consistency is key to making movement a habit rather than a chore. For example, if your kids walk to school every day it’s not something they really think about, it’s just something they do. The Daily Mile is a great example of this. Bailiwick primary schools adopted this activity as part of their timetable over 5 years ago, encouraging young children to run, jog or walk for around 15 minutes every day. It gets children outside every school day, whatever the weather, and gets them moving in a fun, non-competitive way.

And let's be honest, who wouldn’t want to skip lessons for 15 minutes to run around in the playground with their friends? 

 

Lead By Example.

Young children are like sponges, absorbing everything that's going on around them. So if you enjoy exercise the chances are your children will too. If you come back from your swim or yoga class with a smile on your face, your child will get the message that exercise is fun and they'll think it's a good example. Even if, like me, it's less obvious exercise like walking and gardening with the occasional social sea swim thrown in, it all counts. Children see everything, and they won't be fooled into switching off their devices and running around the garden if they see you lounging on the sofa binge watching Netflix every weekend. 

 

Show Me.

Personally, I’m hoping to do my bit to help improve the physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing of our children with my children’s book Show Me. It’s a collection of animal rhyming verses which encourage young children to move around and have fun, suggesting actions and inspiring kids to play and enjoy themselves... grown ups can join in too!

You can download some of my favourite Show Me verses for free here and there’s also a free Show Me activity worksheet that’s a fun guide to use with - or without - the book. I’ve used it in sessions at the library a few times and it’s always gone down really well with younger children.