Exercise Structure or Fun?
BY Mila Sidman %26 Alice Seba
With kid gyms popping up all over the place, many parents are asking the question should exercise for kids be structured or fun?
That answer depends on your family's needs. In many ways kid gyms, indoor trampolines and exercise videos are great for busy families and when the weather doesn't allow for outdoor exercise.
In other ways, kids need to experience more natural forms of exercise for a healthy well-rounded level of fitness. To truly set your child on a path to a healthy and active lifestyle you should incorporate natural forms of movement and exercise into their routine as well as your structured activities.
Here are a few reasons why:
Although 30 minutes on a trampoline is better than no exercise at all, your kids may use that as an excuse to say "I've done my exercise for the day now I can relax".
In reality 30 minutes of activity a day really isn't much when you look at how much activity humans were designed to do. This is why structured exercise can often cause problems and a false sense of security.
Another problem with structured exercise is that kids may see this as boring or not look forward to it, you certainly don't want your kids to get to a point where they really don't enjoy this time.
On the other hand structured exercise is a great addition to a healthy lifestyle program where kids naturally get out and move, they walk more, ride their bikes, and play sports. Structured exercise can serve as an added source of movement and activity.
As mentioned above, it's also great for rainy days or other times when going out isn't an option.
The ultimate healthy lifestyle for kids will include a natural form of activities daily such as walking, running, climbing trees and just plain being kids. Structured exercise can help support these activities.
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