Encouraging Your Child to Enjoy Active Play and Activity

What can you do to help your children

become active enough to stay healthy?

All children really need is

opportunity. However, the secret is to

provide opportunities for activity that

aren’t likely to cause havoc and

destruction – and aren’t just before

bedtime or when you want a bit of peace

and quiet.

The other thing to bear in mind is that you

will need to get involved in some of these

activities. This will probably do you some

good and help your fitness level as well!

Outdoor play equipment.

If you have a small amount of

space, provide some form of

outdoor play equipment.

Outdoor play equipment doesn’t have to be

expensive, either. A chalk hopscotch figure

that’s the right size for your child and a

couple of old tyres to climb plus a ball or

two is enough.

Let children go outside when it’s raining.

Dance.

Arrange your living room and/or

your child’s bedroom so he or she

can have the fun of moving to music.

Encourage outdoor or active hobbies rather than (or as

well as) passive indoor ones.

During the weekend, don’t just curl up in

front of the TV, DVD player or

computer. Head to the beach or the local

swimming pool.

Go for a bike ride

Go for a walk. Weekend activity doesn’t have

to involve organised sports clubs – doing it

free range is just as good and just as fun.

Romp and roughhouse with small children.

This seems to be something that dads

tend to be very good at – play wrestling

and general clowning around.

Pillow fights fall into this category, or

you can have battles with pool noodles

or foam rubber swords.

It’s a good way for adults to release a bit of

stress and goof off, as well as giving the children quality time and exercise.

Build walking and being more active into your routines.

You might find it hard to break the habit

of taking the lift rather than the stairs or

parking as close to the shops as you can.

But if you make yourself do it, especially when

you’re with your children, this sort of thing will

become normal for your children and they’ll get good habits that will (hopefully) last a lifetime.

For more fun activities check out

www.fridayschildmontessori.com