Keeping Kids Active During Summer

Now that school is out, the risk of kids sitting in front of the TV all summer or zoning out with tablets, phones and gaming devices are likely at an all-time high. and it can be harmful to their growing bodies. The CDC recommends that kids need at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day.

At Texas Orthopedics, we strongly encourage people of all ages to adopt a healthy lifestyle with plenty of exercise and physical activity all year long.

Here are six tips to help keep your kiddo active this summer:

1. Register them for a recreational sports league. It could be continuing with a sport they played earlier in the year or trying something totally new.
2. Have your child hit the gym with you, and check out what children's classes or activities they offer. 
3. Start your own marathon club, similar to what schools do during the year. Run or walk together all summer to reach 26 miles, and reward them once they've crossed the finish line. 
4.  Give them regular chores around the house or yard that will have them breaking a sweat... like sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, or mowing the lawn and pulling weeds.
5. Hop in the pool. Swimming is a great whole-body workout. Encourage them to do a few laps in between games of Marco Polo.
6. Combine physical activity with screen time. Search up popular kids' fitness or dance videos online to get them moving. Many of them have points or rewards systems if you log in for a certain number of continuous minutes at a time. 

Playing sports in the hot sun can be hard on your body, so make sure your child wears sunscreen, a hat, and light protective clothing, and also drinks plenty of water.

(Courtesy of Active.comhttp://www.active.com/)

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