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WORDS BY ERICA NEWTON, CO-OWNER OF MYFIRSTGYM
In the depths of Winter, it seems that hiding under the duvet or in an Oodie cave is acceptable, even expected. I’ve caught myself thinking it’s a bit cold for the kids to ride to school. I’ll just drive them. Similarly, the weather has ensured creamy pastas and cheese-loaded toasties are being pumped out of the kitchen more than usual. This is all fine, but it doesn’t take much and suddenly the kids are only getting Mum’s Taxi to school, while afternoon ‘play’ at the park has been replaced with slothing on the couch under a blanket.
How much physical activity do children need to do?
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Sure, the kids have sport-led activities each week, but as I’ve mentioned before, this does not always equate to the recommended amount of daily physical activity.
Have you done a quick audit of how much vigorous exercise your child is getting per day?
- Is your under-five-year-old engaged in physical activity for 180 minutes each day?
- Would your teen exercise for at least 60 minutes?
Regardless of the amount, it’s not much of a leap to surmise that in winter, it’s even less.
Active August isn’t just about August.
Being active should not be a seasonal or week-on, week-off thing, but a lifelong process. That’s why winter is a fantastic time of the year to get stuck into a health goal: put in the work and create that healthy habit to head into summer feeling fit and fantastic. What a wonderful time to be involved with MyFirstGym: we’ve scheduled Active August for next month to do just that! We’d like everyone in our community to bust out of that Oodie and cheese toastie cocoon, and make leaps toward a healthier, more physically active you now. The best part is that even small changes drastically increase the amount of exercise you engage in each day.
Small changes lead to big, long-lasting rewards.
If you get active with your kids from a young age, healthy habits are hardwired into their brains. The easiest way to do this is to make it fun and easy (to start with anyway!) I’ve put together 10 Tips to help kickstart Active August and your journey to a healthier, more movement oriented lifestyle… even in winter!
10 Tips to Kickstart Your (and Your Kids’) Physical Activity.
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1. Play. Literally.
It doesn’t matter if it’s soccer, mountain biking, tag, hide-and-seek or the-floor-is-lava; as long as your child enjoys it and they’re moving, it’s worthwhile. They’ll enjoy it even more if you join in (see Tip #4)!
2. Build routine activity:
Routines are amazing for kids. They help reduce anxiety while providing safety and when based around good physical activity and nutrition, healthy habits. Set aside dedicated time for physical activity each day with your kids:
- Ride with them to school.
- Go for a walk in the park before dinner.
- Shoot ten hoops every afternoon.
- Make a regular ‘hiking date’ each Sunday.
3. Limit screen time:
This is the hardest one. Limiting screen time encourages less sedentary behaviour and much more movement, but it’s a hard parental marathon. At least a marathon ends: a child’s appetite for The Screen never seems to wane! Start with screen free dinners, institute no screens before school and work up to screen free weekdays. Stay strong- you can do it!
4. Model, model, model:
You are your child’s first role model. You play a major part in showing them how to be active. That means get active AND most importantly, look like you’re enjoying it. Join them in a game of tag and pull on your trainers for a jog around the block. You’ll be surprised how quickly they follow your lead.
5. Join community activities together:
If only there was a gym that catered to children and as a bonus, was also a fantastic family community! MyFirstGym is obviously all of this and more, but there are lots of other great options if there’s not a franchise near you. ParkRun, Nippers (if you’re near the beach) and sporting clubs are all fantastic community hubs helping families get active.
6. Set goals together:
One of our core methods in inspiring movement is to get kids interested in their fitness through goal setting. We pair this with the MyFitnessBuddy to help kids track their activity. As a family, set fitness goals and challenges. It could be a family challenge of 25 push-ups a day for a month, training for a 10km race (or marathon!) or working up to swimming 500 metres non-stop. Track your progress- it’s also a great conversation starter!
7. Build more activity into your day:
Cars and screens are wonderful aspects of our modern society, but they also go hand-in-hand with a sedentary lifestyle.
- Ditch the car altogether and enjoy the walk to get milk/go to school/work.
- Use the parking bay furthest from the shops and walk in.
- Involve your child in the household gardening, cleaning or washing the car.
- ALWAYS take the stairs (NOT the escalator or elevator).
8. Choose activities that don’t feel like exercise:
Yes! There are ways to exercise that don’t actually feel like exercise!
- Fly a kite.
- Dance to your favourite music.
- Play a family game of table tennis.
- Walk the dog.
- Throw a frisbee.
- Rollerskate, rollerblade or skateboard.
- Jump on a trampoline.
- Play tag or piggy in the middle.
9. Wear the right clothing.
It’s important to ensure kids are dressed comfortably for the physical activity they’re about to engage in. Some kids don’t feel the cold; other’s feel a slight breeze three states away. Some love to be covered head to toe in lycra; others think thongs are appropriate hiking footwear. Be prepared for all eventualities and be flexible within reason- you want them to want to exercise again.
10. Celebrate achievements:
Praise your kids for their efforts in staying active. Thoughtful positive reinforcement helps strengthen healthy habits and build confidence. A healthy reward will do wonders for their self-esteem; just make sure it’s sending the right message. Great healthy rewards include:
- Balls.
- Jump ropes.
- Bikes.
- Sports equipment.
- New exercise clothes.
- Gift cards to trampoline parks, indoor rock-climbing or laser tag.
- Interactive video games (active Wii games, Just Dance, etc.)
- A MyFirstGym membership.
MyFirstGym and Active August
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MyFirstGym’s across the country are getting ready to blitz movement and physical activity next month. You can too and starting is easy! Put some of these tips into play now.
Ready to try something new? Visit myfirstgym.com.au now for more great inspiration: we have a range of classes to suit every age!