Reader Q&A: Should Kids Workout?

This question comes from Sarita:

I have an 8 year old and a 4 year old.  They eat healthy and are very active but I was wondering if they should be working out like I do at a gym.  Would it help them?

This question is better asked of a pediatrician.  However, I will give you my opinion.  You describe your kids as eating healthy and being very active.  That should be enough.  Kids are kids, they run around, they climb trees, they play games and that’s more than enough physical activity.  Regular gym workouts are important only to adults, like me, who spend most of their day sitting in an office.  If your kids are already active, then let them enjoy that and don’t drag them into a gym.

By the way, that applies to adults too.  If you lead an active lifestyle where you’re running, climbing, biking, lifting and doing other physical things all the time, you probably don’t need a regular gym workout as much as I do.  Might it help to have a more structured exercise routine?  Possibly, but the benefit you get is probably small for the time you need to invest.

Healthy Toys

I had lunch the other day with a coworker and the conversation veered off towards Christmas and gift giving.  My family, being from Israel, never really had a tradition of gift giving.  So it always interests me to hear what other people intend to give and to who.  At some point in the conversation, my coworker started talking about gifts for his 5 year old son.  His ideas primarily revolved around DVD’s, computer games and toys.

This bothers me a bit.  With everyone these days concerned about obesity and with plenty of studies that show healthier children do better in school and with relationships, why give gifts that encourage sitting around and doing nothing?  So rather than complain, I put together a list of some simple gifts you may wish to consider for your child this holiday season.

A ball - Remember all those times you gave your kids a fancy present and they ended up liking the cardboard box better than the present?  That’s because kids often like the simple things more than the complex and there’s simpler to play with than a ball.  A ball can be as small as a tennis ball or as big as a soccer ball but it provides an endless amount of amusement.  It can be played with alone or with friends.  It can be something you take to the park with your kid and spend an hour kicking around.  Best of all, it gets kids moving rather than keeps them sitting down.

Bike (or trike for the younger ones) - I got my first bike at five.  It was a hand-me-down from my older brother.  It had only one gear, a slightly rusty chain and an ugly purple paint job, but I loved it.  I rode that thing everywhere.  Again, a bike can be fun alone or with the entire family and it’s amazing exercise.

A Dog - You think I’m kidding aren’t you?  You’re probably saying to yourself “yah right, I already have my hands full with the kids and now this mad man wants me to add a puppy to the insanity that is my life.”  Well, there have been a number of recent studies that show animals help kids connect and form relationships.  They keep them active and they also teach them how to care for things.  Isn’t that better than teaching them how to press play on the DVD player?  Who knows, maybe that dog can lower your stress level a bit too, and believe me, they mature a lot faster than your kids do.  By the way, if you’re worried about the time investment, maybe you should consider getting an adult dog.  They’re house broken and you don’t have to worry about training them.  So your child gets a loving companion that will protect them while keeping them active and you get less poop on the carpet.

Rollerskates - No, not those annoying shoes with a rear wheel.  I’m talking about real roller skates or blades here.  They’re not quite as useful as a bike but they’ll still get your kid out from in front of that TV.   Cheap too, especially when you compare the price to a new Playstation 3.

Summary

So there you go, four easy and cheap ideas for gifts that keep your kid active.  Just remember, kids don’t really need a lot of fancy electronics to have fun.  In fact, the simplest things are often more enjoyable than the latest technology or movie.