Kids have never been as inactive in Britain as they are today. In times gone by, there would have been nothing more for them to do at home and they would be forced to head outside to find ways to keep themselves occupied. However, since the 1970s, homes have been increasingly filled with TVs, computers and the like and, together with the culture of paranoia about letting children run free, kids today spend much of their time indoors. Parents are right to be concerned that their offspring are not getting the exercise they need and here are some ways to incorporate this into their lives.

The Importance of The Social

We are all by nature social creatures and many children adopt a sedentary lifestyle because they are not given the opportunity of socialising with other children. This can be because the family have not gone to the trouble to get to know others in their local area or because parents are paranoid about their children getting hurt if they are out of their sight. The fact is, however, that the world is not that much more dangerous than it was 40 years ago, it is just that the media have focused more and more on negative sides of the country. Giving children more freedom will increase their interaction with other children and this brings with it the possibility that they will be more active.

Lead By Example

Children learn a huge amount from their parents, both in terms of what they are told and what they see and the lifestyle choices of adults will have a real bearing on their kids. If they see their parents doing nothing more than sitting around and watching TV, they will be much more likely to follow a similar lifestyle compared with those that take a more active lifestyle. This can be anything from weekend hiking trips as a family to simply taking the dog for a long walk. This shows that parents do still have the power to build a healthy lifestyle for their children.

A Persuasive Diet

It is well accepted that the diet of children will affect their mood and energy levels, but Britain does not have a particularly positive culture when it comes to food. Parents often don’t have the time or energy to cook nutritious meals for their children and instead give in to pressure to serve unhealthy food, like frozen pizzas, chips and so forth. Unfortunately, such stodgy food does not provide children with the energy necessary to lead an active lifestyle, and by replacing this with more nutritious alternatives, children will have too much energy to sit idly around the house.

Toys

The mindboggling power of modern computers and games consoles makes them very attractive to kids and it can be a real challenge to get them away from the sofa. From the kids perspective, they can get so absorbed in what they are doing that time flies by and heavy pressure from parents to do something else can fall on deaf ears.

Parents can set a limited period when anyone in the house is allowed to use these items, but these rules will become a constant battleground unless children are provided with other fun options that give children a more active lifestyle. Kites and similar remote controlled flying toys can be great fun for kids of any ages and the fact that they can be physically demanding means that they are also great for exercise.