7 Ways to Keep your Kids Healthy & Active this School Year

min read

7 Ways to Keep your Kids Healthy & Active this School Year

The start of the school year is the perfect time to set up good habits that keep your family happy, healthy and active all year long! Here are 7 ways you can do just that!

1. Get involved in team sports!

It's the perfect time for your kids to get involved in a new team sport! Chat to your kids about which sports they’re interested in trying this year, or find out what their friends or classmates are participating in, then find out when sign-ups take place.

There are so many reasons team sports are great:

  • Kids learn teamwork and shared goals.
  • Games plus training and practice gets them active a few times a week.
  • Team sports are great social interactions!
  • If your kids are at a new school this year, it’s a good way to meet new friends and kick off any potential play dates.
  • They’re easy for parents to get involved in! Whether it’s helping out with coaching, cheering on from the sidelines or running around at home to help get some extra practice in!

2. Embrace good behaviours at home

As every parent can relate to, kids pick up on the habits of those around them. Just by being a great example yourself, you can help your kids embrace the same behaviours! Here’s a few ideas to get you started:

  • Don’t hide away when you exercise or make healthy food choices! Brag a little and let your kids know what you’re doing and why, in a positive way!
  • Walk the dog as often as you can! Invite the kids along and do it as a family!
  • If you need an inspiration boost, drive to your favourite scenic walking spot, like the beach or a dog-friendly park!
  • Don’t forget about your backyard! Anything active you can do together outside helps!
  • Lay down a mat on the grass and do some family yoga poses together!
  • Kick a ball around outside, or put your trampoline to good use!

3. Encourage your kids to push their limits

Get your kids outside of their comfort zones and they’ll achieve new levels of success! Whether it’s trying something new or entering in a local comp, they’ll learn discipline, bravery and perseverance! Whether they come first place or get a participation award, it’s all about giving something a go!

Here are a few great ideas:

  • For older kids the Weet-bix Kids TRYathlon is a great challenge to get involved in! Like the name suggest, it’s all about participation and giving it a go!
  • Little athletics is another great challenge for warmer months.
  • For kids who are shy, joining a new sport or group can be a challenge enough, but one that will benefit them greatly!
  • And trying a new activity is another great way to push limits in a healthy way!
  • Embrace any school initiatives like Jump Rope for Heart and encourage your kids to set achievable personal goals.

4. Put some bounce in their step!

Did you know trampolines provide great health benefits for kids? Just because the kids are back to school doesn’t mean they don’t have time to play in the backyard! Just 10 minutes bouncing a day can provide great health benefits (and a whole lot of fun)!

There are so many reasons a trampoline in your backyard is beneficial for your kids (and you):

  • Bouncing is a fun way to keep active and fit!
  • Jumping enhances children’s muscle development.
  • Bouncing strengthens bones and reinforces joints.
  • Jumping makes you happy! Increased oxygen circulation stimulates the release of mood-enhancing endorphins!
  • Jumping calms kids down and helps improve concentration!
  • Bouncing on a trampoline can improve kids’ engagement in learning.
  • The shifting centre of gravity improves balance and coordination which also can improve confidence.
  • Trampolines encourage kids to spend more time outside, breathing in fresh air and getting vitamin D!
  • Jumping detoxifies the body and strengthens the immune system by stimulating internal organs, promoting lymphatic circulation and pushing toxins out of cells.
  • Jumping is a great form of exercise for parents too, providing you with a killer workout in just 10 minutes!

And there are so many other benefits to trampolines. You can learn more about the many significant health benefits of trampolines here. If you’re considering a trampoline for your family, you can learn more about the safety benefits that make Springfree Trampoline the safest choice in trampolines.

5. Teach your kids active life skills

Any activity that also gives your kids important or useful life skills is definitely a plus.

For example, swimming is a great activity that provides important life skills. And it doesn’t stop at being able to swim. Being confident at treading water and floating are also great life skills for obvious reasons.  

Here are a few other ideas for active fun that can prove useful later in life:

  • Walking! Getting used to long walks or hikes (and enjoying them) is a great thing for kids to learn for future social activities, adventures and exploring new places.
  • There are so many useful skills that can be learnt by spending time outdoors in the elements! From catching yabbies in the creek to building a campfire to navigating by the stars! A lot of these useful skills can be learnt by spending time outdoors, camping, or joining a group like scouts or cadets.

And then there’s the other great life skills your kids will learn through just about any sport – perseverance, discipline, teamwork and the important social skills required to both win and lose competitions with grace!

6. Think outside the box

When the glorious weekends arrive, think outside the box when you decide what you want to do for entertainment. There are plenty of really fun activities that also happen to be great exercise.

Here are some ideas to get you inspired!

  • Hit up a local tennis court, basketball court or squash court for a bit of friendly family competition.
  • Drive somewhere you haven’t been before for a hike and a picnic.
  • Take the kids to a skate park.
  • Go somewhere exciting for a family bike ride.
  • Treat the family to some indoor rolling skating.
  • Go crazy at an inflatable water park.
  • Lash out and take the kids to laser tag! Sure to get everyone running around.
  • Act like a tourist and explore around a local attraction – anything that will encourage excited little people to actively explore!

  7. Healthy eating!

Here’s how you can keep your kids eating healthy when they’re back in the school routine!

  • Healthy school lunchboxes! Away from the temptations of what’s in the cupboard or fridge for most of the day, a healthy lunchbox (that’s also interesting) takes care of most of the day!
  • Encourage healthier eating when the kids get home from school by having less junk food available at home – and have plenty of their favourite healthy snacks and fruits on-hand!
  • Meal preparation can be a lifesaver to make healthy breakfasts and dinners easier! Whether you prepare all the meals or just have the ingredients set aside so there’s minimal thinking required at the end (or start) of the day, preparation helps a lot!
  • Get your kids involved in making some tasty healthy after-school snacks – like yummy blended fruit icy poles!

Enjoy reading this article? You can read more in our Beyond the Bounce blog, learn more about our range of trampolines, or discover the 9 reasons every kid needs a trampoline!  

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