Tips To Help Your Child Stay Active
APRIL 17, 2019
Physical activity and exercise are vital to the growth and development of your child. In fact, it’s recommended that children get at least one hour of physical activity each day. Not only does this help reduce rates of childhood obesity, but it lends positive benefits to your child’s overall physical and mental wellbeing.
Now that the warm weather has arrived in Alabama, there are plenty of interesting and fun ways to help keep your kids active. Here are a few of our suggestions
Take A Hike!
Hiking is a fun way for children and parents to build muscle, improve balance, lose weight, and stay fit. Lucky for us, Alabama is chock full of scenic trails and outdoor recreational centers that allow us to explore the state’s sprawling natural beauty.
Check out some of these age-appropriate trails near you:
- Moody Park – Features multiple trailheads of varying difficulties. Check out the Tall Pines Trail for an easy-to-navigate, 2.5-mile outing.
- Heflin Spur – A wide open, 5.6-mile trail in Heflin, Alabama. The full trail might be a little challenging for tots, but overall this spur of the Pinhoti Trail makes for a great day trip.
- Devil’s Den Falls – A short, scenic in the Cheaha State Park that take hikers to a beloved natural swimming hole up the mountain.
- Red Mountain Park – This nature preserve in Birmingham features 15 miles of hiking trails, as well as 2 miles of flat trails for young children and strollers.
Visit A Park
Public parks are always a great go-to when the backyard just won’t cut it. Within a 5-10 miles radius of our Anniston office, you’ll find some great places like Zinn Park and Choccolocco Park. If you’re closer to our Roanoke location, check out Kids Town Park, which is full of towers, tunnels, and climbable structures that kids will love. You’ll also find tons of great parks all around the Birmingham area
Start A Garden Project
Gardening has been long noted as an excellent way for adults to stay healthy, but there are benefits for your kid too! Plants and kids alike thrive on fresh air, sunlight, and a little dirt. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to help your child learn a new skill while staying active.
Get Creative Inside
Even on days when the weather won’t cooperate, you can still help your child stay active from the indoors. Encourage your kids to dance, sing, and march along to their favorite song and programs. You can also do some light and easy chores, such as sweeping, cleaning their room, or helping with the laundry.
Just Keep Moving!
At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter what your child is doing so long as they’re MOVING. So whether you’re at home or away, indoor or outdoors, just make sure you encourage your little one to run, jump, dance, climb, explore, and play to their heart’s content.
