With Increased Technology Comes Decreased Activity
Children are spending more and more time on a tablet, in front of the television, or on a video game system. Kids love the newest devices, apps, movies, and television shows. These tools of entertainment can be a great source of fun and enjoyment. However, they have the potential to negatively affect a child’s health by limiting movement.With summer around the bend, our students and youth are going to be less likely to be outside than 10 or 15 years ago because of these forms of entertainment. The National Summer Learning Association says that
“Children gain weight two or three times faster during summer vacation than during the school year.”
When children are in school they are constantly supervised, and their diet and activity are monitored. In the summer, it is easy for a student to slip into the routine of electronic entertainment and snacking while their physical health gets set aside. Here are 5 ideas for helping children stay fit and active.
Alternatives to Summer-Time Sluggishness
1. Join a Club or Team
Children will not only have a reason to get fit, but they will also be learning valuable life lessons and building strong relationships along the way. Swim clubs are a huge hit in the summer, and baseball is in full swing along with many other camps and training. Through practices and games, students will get plenty of needed activity.
2. Summer Camps
Summer camps, like the ones offered through your local YMCA, provide supervision and criteria to keep children eating healthier and staying fit. They’ll build friendships, learn new skills, and build a stronger body to keep them healthy. A summer camp can be a great way to build memories and a strong foundation of physical health in a fun way.
3. Teach Healthy Eating
As well as minimizing the amounts of unhealthy snacks in the household, teach young children about healthy food alternatives. If your children know about the risks of eating unhealthy foods to excess, they will be more likely to make better snack choices. Make this a fun activity while shopping in the grocery store or through an educational program.
4. Limit Screen Time
Limiting the time children spend in front of electronic devices (phones, iPads, TV, Xbox, etc.) is key to keeping them entertained in healthier ways during the summer. Making time spent with electronics equal to the time they spend doing something active can be helpful. Show them that adventures are waiting to be discovered outside a screen, and connect with them through conversation and play.
5. Get Active with Children
If you lead with a positive example, children are more likely to follow in your footsteps. Show them that being active can be fun in various ways. Go for a hike, follow the leader, do chores together, play outdoor games like hide and seek, garden together, or go to the park and play. There are plenty of online sources that offer creative games that include no equipment and will get kids moving.
Make this a summer to remember for both you and the children in your care. With children's metabolisms potentially slowing over the summer, making physical activity fun again can be a major solution to the problem. Get students and children moving this summer so that they can return to a new school year feeling healthier and more confident than ever!
Make this a summer to remember for both you and the children in your care. With children's metabolisms potentially slowing over the summer, making physical activity fun again can be a major solution to the problem. Get students and children moving this summer so that they can return to a new school year feeling healthier and more confident than ever!
