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handGive your child options Children should be exposed to different options for being active through toys, facilities and games. They are more apt to actively participate when variety is offered to them. Get outside and play with your children. Plan trips to the park, beach and recreation centre. Assist on parent councils to reinforce policies around physical activity at school.
Source: Canadian Living (Michele Drake)

handprintBe active daily In order for children to embrace a long-term habit of physical activity, they must be active regularly. Children should be physically active every day. In his book, Virgilo states that parents should "Plan at least 60 minutes of structured physical activity, and 60 minutes of unstructured physical activity every day. Preschool teachers and parents should agree on a simple model, for example, 90 minutes at school and 30 minutes at home during the week." Try new, fun ideas for staying active!
Source: Canadian Living (Michele Drake)

hprintDevelop new motor skills Exercising a variety of movement skills is crucial in the early stages of life. Prior to age 12, the neuromuscular system is still developing and movement skills can be enhanced dramatically by doing a variety of purposeful movement. This will enhance a child's athleticism for life and encourage adherence to fitness fun for years to come.

Let children explore and acquire age-appropriate development skills such as skipping, hopping, jumping, catching and throwing. Try using an array of equipment such as beanbags, hoops, balls, parachutes,scarves and BOSU. Be supportive and encourage your children for how well they are developing their athletic skills (for example, kicking a ball), rather than emphasizing their success at an activity or game (for example, scoring a goal or winning a game).
Source: Canadian Living (Michele Drake)

hprintGive your child choice Children will guide you to activities they enjoy if they have a variety to choose from. They are more likely to connect with an exercise, sport or fitness program that they have chosen themselves. Allow them to make their own choices and you'll empower them for life.
Source: Canadian Living (Michele Drake)

hprintBe a role model Practice what you preach and become a positive role model for your child. Children respect, look up to and imitate the people that play the largest roles in their lives, so make sure you are setting a good example.
Source: Canadian Living (Michele Drake)

hprintTry noncompetitive activities Make it fun and they will come! Life has enough elements of competition in it. It is not imperative to make all physical activity aggressive with an emphasis on winning. Children aged two to six should enjoy games, activities and sports that emphasize achieving personal bests and having a good time -- try these 12 fun family activities.
Source: Canadian Living (Michele Drake)

hprintMake it a family affair The home environment has a huge influence on the values children start to develop. Boys pay close attention to how their dad interacts with others and what habits he adopts, and girls seem to do the same with moms. Engage in family activities such as swimming, skating, biking or hiking -- this will send a powerful positive message to your children. The family that plays together stays healthy together. Also remember that you cannot preach about good nutrition and eat poorly yourself. Children are watching your every move so it is imperative to set a good example. Life is a journey, and helping your children begin theirs with a solid foundation of fitness and health will help them to develop a healthy lifestyle for life. Remember that the first six years of your child's life is the prime time to lay the groundwork for a lifetime of success in fitness and health.
Source: Canadian Living (Michele Drake)

hprintHelp your children develop good physical activity habits at an early age by setting a good example yourself. Practice heart-healthy habits.
Source: American Heart Association

hprintLimit television, movies, videos and computer games to less than two hours a day. Substitute the rest of leisure time with physical activity.
Source: American Heart Association

Plan family outings and vacations that involve vigorous activities such as hiking, bicycling, skiing, swimming, etc.
Source: American Heart Association

Give your children some household chores that require physical exertion, keeping in mind their levels of strength, coordination and maturity. Mowing lawns, raking leaves, scrubbing floors and taking out the garbage not only teach responsibility but can be good exercise.
Source: American Heart Association

Observe sports and activities your children like, then find out about lessons and clubs. Some children thrive on team sports; others prefer individual activities. Some activities, like tennis and swimming, can be enjoyed for a lifetime and are much easier to learn during childhood.
Source: American Heart Association

If it's safe to walk or bike rather than drive, do so. Use stairs instead of elevators and escalators. Increase the distances you and your children walk.
Source: American Heart Association

Stay involved in your child's physical education classes at school. At daycare, make sure the kids exercise at least 20 minutes a day. Ask about frequency of classes and activity, class size, curriculum (instruction in lifetime fitness activities as well as team sports should be emphasized), physical fitness assessments, qualifications of the teacher (should hold appropriate certification in physical education and be an appropriate role model for students). Physical fitness should be measured at the beginning and end of each year, and goals should be established for each child. Encourage your school board to emphasize skills students can use for the rest of their lives.
Source: American Heart Association

Discourage homework immediately after school to let children find some diversion from the structure of the school day. Kids should be active after school and before dinner.
Source: American Heart Association

Choose fitness-oriented gifts -- a jump rope, mini-trampoline, tennis racket, baseball bat, a youth membership at the local YMCA or YWCA. Select the gift with your child's skills and interests in mind.
Source: American Heart Association

Take advantage of your city's recreation opportunities -- from soccer leagues to fun runs. Check out the various camps or organizations like the Sierra Club that sponsor outdoor activities such as camping, hiking trips and bird watching.
Source: American Heart Association

Free your infant from mechanical restraints as much as possible. Strollers and playpens are high on convenience but low on activity potential. Try to unleash your diapered dynamo whenever and wherever he or she can safely move around.
Source: American Heart Association

When your children are bored, suggest something that gets them moving, like playing catch or building a snowman in the yard.
Source: American Heart Association

Take screens out of your children’s bedrooms. When a child has a screen in his or her bedroom, screen time goes up and quality of sleep goes down.

Set limits on the amount of time that children spend with screen media. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends: zero hours of entertainment media for children under 2, one hour a day for pre-school aged children, and two hours a day for school-aged children and teens.

If you are well over the recommendations, make a screen time goal that makes sense for your family. Try decreasing a half hour every week!

Create an "activity jar" with your kids. When allotted screen time is up, pull an activity from the jar!

If you work more than one job or odd hours, plug your kids into free or subsidized programs in your community that emphasize healthy activities and screen-free fun.

Discuss food advertising with your children. What sorts of foods does their body and brain need to be healthy?What messages are they hearing on TV?

Have your kids create their own food advertisements and shows! What about one that features interviews with local gardeners or farmers? That details the life of a vegetable? The options are endless.

Find fun recipes that include vegetables and fruits. Cook with your kids! Ask your teenager to be in charge or a meal for the whole family and help them work out a nutritious menu.

Figure out what is going on in your community – explore local parks and other free community resources that get kids off the couch and into the world.

Encourage your children to play ‘exergames’ and other active video games like Dance Dance Revolution and Wii Sports.
Source: Dr. Dave - Mind positive parenting