How to Encourage Joyful Movements in Your Children

If you’ve fallen victim to America’s diet-driven and image-obsessed culture, odds are your kids have, too. Even the youngest among us seem especially caught up in appearances these days. Between 40% and 60% of elementary school girls are concerned about their weight or about becoming too fat. Meanwhile, more than half of teenage girls and nearly one-third of teen boys use unhealthy weight control practices to maintain a certain size or body shape. 

This isn’t a recipe for joyful movement. It’s a formula for self-punishment, poor self-esteem and unhealthy habits. That’s why parents must offer counter-messaging to combat harmful notions about body image and fitness. Luckily, encouraging fun, cheerful movement isn’t all that hard. Use the following tips to introduce this type of exercise so your kids can develop healthy, lifelong habits instead of self-destructive ones. 

Emphasize Fun

Kids who’re already worried about their weight or physical appearance might already have a negative relationship with food and fitness. In this case, they might be using exercise to punish themselves or in an effort to achieve unrealistic beauty standards. 

Parents can help reframe their childrens’ perspective by emphasizing that movement should be fun, not boring, tedious or painful. That means if they enjoy rollerblading over running, they should strap on those blades, even if the movement itself burns fewer calories or works different muscles. 

Plan Ahead

If you struggle to prioritize movement in your own life, odds are you don’t provide much time for your kids to move, either. After all, there are only so many hours in a day and sometimes fitness gets pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. 

That’s why it’s important to plan ahead and schedule time for physical activity. Then, you won’t feel rushed or pressured by time constraints. Remember to bring snacks, water and appropriate clothing so everyone’s comfortable before, during and after you break a sweat. 

Provide a Safe Environment

Of course, you must also provide a safe environment in which your kids can run, jump and play however they please. Often, the best place for them to do so is outside. For instance, a fenced-in backyard provides endless opportunities — and more space — for cartwheeling, somersaulting, dancing, racing and other fun movement-based activities. Provide active toys like sports equipment, toy swords and sidewalk chalk to encourage self-led play.

Don’t have an outdoor space? Head to your local pak and enjoy the playground together. Stairs, ladders, monkeybars, rock walls and even the swings offer plenty of ways for kids to engage in fun, functional movement. Look for play structures that encourage competition and exploration to inspire your little ones to move. 

Choose Appropriate Activities

Maybe you’re really into weightlifting or are training to run a marathon. While these activities are excellent options for adults, they aren’t ideal for most kids. Instead of following a rigid training schedule or hitting the weight rack, children should engage in developmentally appropriate movements like walking, swimming and cycling. 

Keep your child’s age, maturity, abilities and interests in mind when suggesting potential activities. For instance, toddlers and preschoolers might enjoy tumbling, throwing and catching and running. Meanwhile, older kids between the ages of 10 and 12 might prefer sports that require more complex skills like football, tennis and golf. Consult a pediatrician if you’re unsure which movements are appropriate for your child. 

Get Competitive

Competitive sports can encourage high standards of achievement, teamwork and discipline in young kids. However, club sports aren’t always the answer because they often emphasize success and winning over fun and wellness. 

Luckily, there are plenty of other ways to add an air of competitiveness to your family’s movement time. For example, you could make an obstacle course and use a timer to see who can complete it the fastest. Can the kids beat their personal best? Challenging kids to better themselves rather than beat others is a brilliant way to encourage a lifelong love affair with movement. 

Tap Into Their Interests

Have you ever asked your little ones what kinds of movement they enjoy? What kinds of activities make them feel good inside and out? If they aren’t sure, suggest some ideas to test which ones they might be willing to try. Odds are there’s some kind of movement that’ll pique their interest. 

Once you know what they enjoy, make a list of their favorite joyful movements and keep it in plain sight. That way, when the littles get bored, they can choose a fun activity from the list. Giving them autonomy and the choice to participate will help them take control of their own fitness journey. Use stickers and make an interactive chart to further incentivize feel-good movement. 

Modeling Joyful Movement

You know what they say. Monkey see, monkey do. Kids often mirror their parents’ behavior — for better or worse. That’s why it’s so important to model joyful movement whenever you can. 

Explore different forms of movement to find one or two that feel good to you. Focus on sensations rather than appearances and try smiling every once in a while. If your kids see you actually enjoying breaking a sweat, they’ll be more apt to join you. Together, you can build healthier, happier habits to last a lifetime.