We all know how important exercise is to our child’s growth and physical development. Lack of exercise is partly responsible for the growing childhood obesity epidemic in our culture.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the U.S., the percentage of overweight children aged 6-11 years has almost doubled since the early 1980's. The percentage of overweight adolescents has risen by nearly 300 percent!

Statistics show the startling frequency of weight-related disease in children:

• 60 percent of overweight children already have one risk factor for heart disease
• 85 percent of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are obese
• 25 percent of overweight children are already showing early signs of type 2 diabetes
• Approximately 20 percent of newly diagnosed cases of childhood diabetes are type 2, associated with obesity. This figure is up from 4 percent in 1990.

The trend seems to be affecting pre-school children, too. From 1994 to 2001, overweight among children aged 2-5 years, increased by 42 percent.

Considering that overweight children often become overweight or obese adults who model poor dietary and exercise habits to their children, the cycle continues until someone decides to break the destructive cycle.

What’s the Answer?

Get moving!

In addition to eating more healthful unprocessed foods from a wide variety of sources, exercise is vital to growing bodies.

Children who are active on a daily basis develop stronger muscles and bones, and are less likely to develop health problems such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure in later years. Daily physical activity is also linked to regulating a child’s mood and enabling her to sleep better.

It’s been estimated that toddlers require 30 minutes of structured physical activity every day. An additional 60 minutes of playtime is also recommended.

Since we all want to be good role models for our children, making fitness a part of our daily routine will benefit them—and us at the same time! You can break the cycle and start a new fitness tradition in your family.

Exercise helps adults maintain a healthy, consistent weight, and it can also help relieve stress and keep a balanced mood, sleep better, and combat some chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease. The CDC says adults should participate in moderate physical activity (such as brisk walking) for 30 minutes at least five days a week.

Here are some fun and easy activities you can do as a family to help make fitness a habit and invest quality time with your children.

Activities with Infants and Young Children

Whenever possible, go outdoors and enjoy being active in the backyard, local neighborhood or park. This gives little ones the opportunity to interact with their environment, too.

Stroll-Along: Stroller exercise classes and groups are growing in popularity. A search on the Internet will help you find a group near you. While it may seem that Mom is getting more of a workout than baby, it’s also a great way for you to interact with other mothers in your area. StrollerFit has classes at YMCAs and other locations across the U.S. (see www.StrollerFit.com).

Of course you don’t need a group to stroll along! You can also take your baby out in a baby sling or carrier and take a brisk walk around the neighborhood.

I Can Dig It! Playgrounds with sandboxes enable baby to play outdoors in the sand with his own toys and you don’t have to worry about him falling on the hard ground. Bring a bucket and shovel and help build the castle of your dreams!

Mommy and Me Exercise Classes: Check to see if there are exercise groups in your area that encourage mother/child participation. More areas are offering PraiseMoves classes (“The Christian Alternative to Yoga”) for adults and children. If there are no certified PraiseMoves instructors in your area yet, work out to a DVD with your child or start a group in your area. Contact PraiseMoves for information (www.PraiseMoves.com).

If You Plant It, It Will Grow! Don’t have a garden? Perhaps the local school has an area in need of some flowers. Does your neighborhood have a community garden? Toddlers will enjoy watching the plants grow, and you’ll get a good workout, too.

Catch, Jump, Bark and Dance! Indoor fun can be as simple as rolling a ball back and forth or playing “catch” or “kick the ball.” Depending on your child’s age, a mini-basketball game is fun, as is jumping rope to simple rhymes. Make believe you are different animals. Say the name of the animal, and then both of you move and sound as if you were that animal. Wanna dance? Turn up the music—and shake it loose (dancing is GREAT exercise and lots of fun, too)!

Incorporate Scripture: Faith and fitness are a great combination! Playtime is an ideal opportunity to include simple memory verses such as, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). A Bible promise book is a good resource.

While playing “catch,” for example, whenever you catch the ball, say part of the verse for that day. Have your child complete the verse (and vice-versa!).

Act out different biblical accounts (Noah, Jonah, Daniel in the lion’s den, David and Goliath, and the parting of the Red Sea) and Jesus’ parables from the New Testament.

While doing sit-ups, toe-touches, push-ups, say scriptures aloud to help keep you “pumped up!” Several Christian fitness programs (such as PraiseMoves) include scripture with their workouts for children and adults—to help keep you fit in spirit, soul AND body!

Lastly, have fun! You have the opportunity to show your child that it feels good to move our bodies—the bodies God gave us to care for and enjoy. You can break the cycle of childhood obesity in your generation and see your grandchildren and great-grandchildren become fit witnesses for Christ!

To learn more about the new PraiseFast program, and to get my free "Fit Favorites Devotional" and PraiseMoves FitNews, visit www.PraiseMoves.com.

Copyright © 2009 by Laurette Willis Share

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