Need to Keep Your Kids Active This Summer?

There is a question many parents, myself included, deal with whenever school vacations are coming: how do I keep my kids active? The answer begins by choosing the right fitness activities and sports for their age.

The key is to plan ahead. Here are some tips that I follow with my own kids:

For younger kids aged three to six, it’s important to keep sports and activities fun and filled with lots of opportunities for them to build body confidence and master large motor skill movements.

Skipping, hopping, jumping, and climbing as well as using balls and hoops are all great ways to promote motor skill development. The summer is also a perfect time for younger kids to learn to swim. And if they’re not a fan of water at this stage, trips to the playground to navigate the monkey bars and play with other kids is a great option for playful activity too.

At this age, your children are becoming more aware of their individual interests. It is crucial to take this into account and guide them towards sports that suit their age, personality, and abilities.

Whatever your kids prefer, make sure to guide them towards activities in which they feel they can succeed. This will help them develop their self-esteem, as well as their critical thinking skills.

For teens who play high school sports, summer is a great time to get fit and work on conditioning. Many high schools offer sports exploration camps, so teens can learn what sports they enjoy and are skilled at.

For swimmers, the junior lifeguard training offered by many cities is a fantastic healthy program — it focuses on conditioning as well as lifesaving skills.

Often times, teens just need to get outside and bike or hike — these are fun options that provide essential cardiovascular work.

To enjoy the sunny days in a safe manner, make sure you and your kids follow these tips:

One final suggestion: unplug! Summer is a wonderful opportunity to spend time as a family. In place of TV, tablets, and smartphones, plan active days to the park, a walk on the beach, or a hike on a local trail.

With just a little planning, you and your kids can enjoy a healthier summer together.

Written by: Samantha Clayton
OLY, ISSA-CPT
Vice President, Worldwide Sports Performance and Fitness

Samantha Clayton represented Great Britain at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in both the 200m and the 4x100m relay events. She is a certified personal trainer with specialty certifications in group fitness, youth fitness programming, senior fitness and athletic conditioning. She has direct responsibility for all activities relating to exercise and fitness education for Herbalife Nutrition independent distributors and employees.

Related posts:

It is 2031 and Counterfeit Drake has quite recently enlisted his fourteenth number-one single. It outperforms the count put by Genuine Drake in a difficult spot in 2024 when he delivered his last…

My husband and I made the joint decision for me to stay at home when our son was born — like thousands of couples today. However, I wasn’t always open to this idea. Firstly, because I did not want to…

The giraffe is nearly down. Two men have stretched a thick black rope in front of the animal, to trip her up. The giraffe hits the rope, and the plan seems to be working until she gains a second wind…