Exercise in Disguise

Parents looking to get their kids up-and-moving need look no further than fun. Just don’t utter the dreaded “e” word

By Chad Rubel
CTW Features

Kids are no different from adults when it comes to exercise. If it's not fun, they don't want to do it.

However, according to the American Obesity Association, Washington, D.C., about 15.5 percent of adolescents (ages 12 to 19) and 15.3 percent of children (ages 6 to 11) are obese. Given those figures, parents are searching for ways to get their kids going.

Just don't call it "exercise."

Ann Douglas, author of “The Mother of All Parenting Books” (Wiley, 2004), recommends parents do "different activities than you did when you were young." Today, kids are into such activities as rock climbing and adventure sports such as skateboarding, snowboarding and cycling. Douglas says to find places where kids can enjoy these activities, and try to encourage the activity that excites their minds.

"It doesn't hurt to do your homework," Douglas says to parents. "Ask other parents. Check out facilities in your town. Play tourist in your own city."

Team sports have long been a popular option for kids and exercise, but not every child will flourish or enjoy the pressure and play in a team environment. "A lot of kids aren't necessarily interested in competition," says Jan Faull, a Seattle-based parent educator, writer and speaker in child development and behavior specialist. In those cases, Faull suggests getting your kids to pursue individual sports, such as biking, golf, skiing, rollerblading and swimming.

Hurdle number one for the modern parent is the computer, which is often a tempting siren for children. With that in mind, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services added a special section for kids on its popular SmallStep.Gov Web site, with tips on getting kids at the computer away from the computer. Enabling children to ascertain information online, it pushes them to step away from the computer and put active ideas into action. The site notes, "It's just as important to do something active away from the computer every day."

Exercise for kids is a relatively new concept. When today's parents were children, they didn't "exercise," they played. They ran around until they were called to dinner, and it was all done under the guise of fun. "It's hard these days because kids don't have the luxury to just get out and climb trees, play a pickup game of baseball or build forts in the woods," says Faull. That puts the onus on parents to organize covert exercise outings, be it hiking, Frisbee or a walk around the neighborhood.

Bringing the fun back to family exercise might be as simple as reviving the buddy system. "When they get older, they should bring a friend," says Douglas. She says once kids reach a certain age, they are more likely to participate in a family exercise outing if they can make it a social event.

"If they bring peers along, that always helps," Faull adds. Otherwise, she notes that, "At 11, it's much harder to push the kids out the door than when they are 7, 8, or 9."

By starting at a young age, you can help your child develop good habits, and once the patterns are established, they have a better chance of surviving into adulthood. "It's good to start them when they're young," says Faull. "By 11, their attitude will be 'this is what our family does.'"

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