Getting your child involved in fitness at a young age is one of the best things you can do to establish a lifetime of healthy activity. The trouble is finding the right activities that your kid will enjoy doing on a regular basis.

When the kids are between the ages of two and five, they will most likely not be ready to participate in organized sports. Instead, encourage and play with them as they learn to jump, throw, hit, and kick balls, run, and ride a bicycle or tricycle.

Parents should foster social, intellectual and physical development during these developmental years. The skills learned during this time lay a solid foundation for grasping more complicated sports and activities.

Learning the basics will help your child experience success later on. Try taking your kid to movement classes that encourage individual creativity and teach the child to control his or her body in space.

Emphasize movement as play, and be sure to encourage and praise your child’s desire to explore movement. When they get to the ages of five to eight, you can start teaching them their basic motor skills and complex movements.

For example, instead of just hitting a stationary ball with a bat, they can practice hitting a ball when it’s rolling or in the air. They can play longer and harder than younger children, which means their fitness levels can improve.

Some children become interested in organized team sporting activities. Enrolling your kid in group sports or group movement classes is a good idea.

Your child should also experience bike riding, roller skating, ice skating and a host of other activities. A wide range of physical experience will help your child figure out his or her likes and dislikes.

Encourage and commend your kid for trying different activities, even if they aren’t your favorites. When the kids reach the ages of eight to ten, they can participate effectively in team and partner activities and continue to improve their fitness levels.

Appropriate physical activities can strengthen their hearts, lungs, muscles and bones. Youth this age lack the needed hormones for large muscle development; trying to bulk them up will only stunt their growth.

The decline in children’s physical activity often begins during this age range. Kids become self-conscious and compare themselves to their peers.

Youth who develop early have a physical advantage and may be intimidating to other kids their age. Team sports and group classes are recommended, if your child shows interest.

When at home, help your child celebrate speed and endurance successes by keeping a logbook of how fast he or she can run half a mile or get from one end of the block to the other. Understand that with supervision and effective program design, your kid may also enjoy the benefits of strength training.

Getting stronger improves a youth’s attitude and self-esteem. From ages ten to twelve children can continue to play on teams, as well as participate in individual activities, like walking, swimming, skating, etc.

They can take part in different dance forms, such as folk dancing, line dancing, ballet, and hip hop. Peer acceptance will influence which activities many children choose.

Major hormonal changes occur in children at this age. Puberty finds many children feeling awkward and unattractive as their physical bodies mature.

Look for programs and classes that focus on developmental levels, such as beginner, moderate, and advanced. Classes grouped based on chronological age may not be the best indicator of skill since kids mature at different rates.

Work with your child to develop a fitness schedule that he or she likes. Parents should purchase youth-sized steps or jump ropes and let their child have a special workout area in their home.

Let your child play his or her favorite music as a source of motivation while exercising. Whether your child participates in physical education classes or extracurricular sports or movement classes look for an instructor who designs activities to accommodate students of varying physical characteristics.

To find kids fitness programs in your community, contact your local recreation center or check your local Yellow Pages under Athletic Organizations, Camps, Clubs, Gymnasiums, Recreation Centers and Youth Organizations and Centers. Other parents, friends and neighbors are often the best source of local information when it comes to activities for youth.

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