Stay Active
Exercising as a family is one of the best ways to help children be more physically active. Research has shown that when parents and caregivers are active, kids are more likely to be active as well. A 2018 study published in the Archives of Medical Science found that almost 89 percent of children between the ages of 7 and 12 copied their parents’ physical activity habits and that they’re likely to continue those habits as adults. According to the American Heart Association, active kids typically have stronger bones and muscles, lower long-term risk of cardiovascular diseases and better brain health and function. A good way to encourage children to be more active is to find activities they enjoy that you can do as a family, like taking a bike ride, roller-skating or playing a sport like soccer or basketball. Not every activity has to last a full 60 minutes to count, either. Even small amounts of physical activity, like taking a family walk after dinner or playing together at the park for a few minutes, can improve health.
Kick-start summer
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Physical Activity Guidelines, children ages 3 to 5 need at least three hours of daily activity. Children and teens ages 6 to 17 should try to do at least 60 minutes daily of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, including bone- and muscle-strengthening exercises three times each week.
76%
of children between the ages of 6 and 17 don’t get enough physical activity.
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Join the Hy-Vee KidsFit Club to complete monthly challenges to build healthy habits!
Learn more about fitness and nutrition as a family with Hy-Vee KidsFit. Log in to this free online program from anywhere on a computer, smartphone or tablet to access simple, fun workouts and healthy recipes.
Kids and adults alike can follow along with daily workout videos targeting each area of the body and teaching how to safely perform each exercise. Suggestions for movement breaks can help everyone in the family stay active throughout the day, and sport-specific videos provide advice for improving skills like balance, speed and endurance. Plus, find dietitian-approved recipes and snack ideas that kids can help make and everyone in the family will enjoy.
Follow along with free fitness videos from the Hy-Vee KidsFit Team to boost your heart rate and learn the importance of taking care of your body. Educate yourself further by taking the 5-Week Challenge. Complete the challenge as a Rookie, Pro or All-Star and watch the whole family’s health improve while you earn virtual badges and trophies for making the healthy choice!
Earn rewards by sending in your monthly KidsFit Club Challenge. Each month we focus on different areas of health, including emotional, physical, intellectual and social wellness. The whole family can participate and track their progress to make building healthy habits easy, fun and rewarding.
Help your family reduce screen time and accept the Hy-Vee KidsFit Club Challenge to be Screen-Free today! See HyVeeKidsFit.com to sign up and for additional details.
1
Water Gun Tag
Cool down while playing tag or freeze tag by having the person who’s “it” try to spray other players with a squirt gun.
Encourage kids to turn off their devices and get moving with outdoor games for the whole family. Hy-Vee has all the toys and equipment you need to have fun in the sun while staying active.
10 ways to make fitness fun
10 ways to make Fitness fun
2
Hopscotch
Grab sidewalk chalk and draw a hopscotch board. Play traditionally or create new games by adding squares or setting a timer.
3
Badminton
Set up a badminton net and host a tournament, or try hitting the birdie back and forth as many times as possible.
4
Diving for Treasure
Toss rings or waterproof prizes into the pool, then have kids put on goggles and swim to collect as many as they can.
5
Keep It Up
Play in the backyard or the pool, and have everyone work together to prevent a beach ball from touching the ground or water.
6
Disc Golf
Choose targets in the backyard or at a park, then see who can hit them with a plastic disc in the fewest number of throws.
7
Plastic Hoop Contest
Give everyone a hoop and see who can keep theirs spinning the longest.
8
Pool Float Race
Have everyone choose a pool float to ride, then paddle the length of the pool as fast as possible.
9
Water Balloon Fight
Divide into teams and dodge water balloons while trying to hit the other players.
10 Jump Rope
Jump individually, take turns swinging a rope for each other or try more challenging games such as double Dutch or two people jumping together.
According to the CDC, children and teens ages 8 to 18 spend an average of 6 to 9 hours in front of a screen for entertainment each day.
Sign up for the Hy-Vee KidsFit Club
Sources: heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-children
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5778431/
health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf
cdc.gov/physicalactivity/downloads/trends-in-the-prevalence-of-physical-activity-508.pdf
heart.org/en/news/2020/04/09/most-of-the-nations-teens-arent-getting-enough-exercise
cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/facts.htm
cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/multimedia/infographics/getmoving.html