Find time to fit in family fitness (From Barry And District News)

Find time to fit in family fitness

IF EXERCISE is part of your life, then chances are it's part of your children's lives too. Active parents often produce active children for whom going for walks, swimming and playing football is the norm.

Just 20 minutes of aerobic exercise a day decreases the chance of heart disease. But with warnings that the computer age could be damaging children's health and with less sport offered in school, it's up to parents to ensure their youngsters get enough exercise.

Dragging them away from their computers or television screens may be difficult. The key is to make exercise fun and come up with family activities where you can all get fit together.

While going to the gym is expensive and boring for young ones, there are ways of getting out and about without the cost. Just by leaving the settee, it is a start.

One of the best forms of exercise is walking. It is free, it doesn't require any special equipment or training.

However, the prospect of dragging a 'Kevin' around may put off most parents before you've even left the house. You could suggest they take a friend, or dangle their Game Boy on a stick in front of them.

Little ones are likely to get tired or bored quickly so here the key is making a walk an adventure. Take them to places they'll find interesting like woods, near rivers, or to the beach. Take them to ruined buildings with some ghostly tales with which you can keep them entertained.

Another idea is to promote a bit of sibling rivalry. Give them a list of treasure to find on the way. Or take a book on birds or flowers with you and see if they can identify birds, plants and trees.

Not only is it good exercise, it might educate them as you go. If they're really struggling, promise them a short piggyback after every ten minutes' walking.

Most children enjoy swimming, or at least playing about in the pool. With proper supervision, it is one of the safest, yet most effective forms of exercise.

So if you persuade them to do a few lengths with you in between the handstands you'll all benefit. Many local leisure centres are good because they have a smaller pool which is less daunting for a child learning how to swim.

Ball games are an excellent way to turn an afternoon into a healthy and fun time. The obvious one is a game of footy in the garden or the park, but how about rigging up a net to play volleyball, a hoop for basketball or a game of rounders?

If you are in the park, why not invite other families to join in with you? It can turn a family game into a huge event and might help your children make new friends.

Nothing can beat a bit of circuit training. Not the killer gym activity, but a garden version. Place balls, benches, skipping ropes, hula hoops and other any props you can find at different points around the garden.

Space will be limited, so instead of racing one another, race the clock. Each competitor has to complete each activity against a timer, with the one who completes the circuit in the fastest time the winner.

Cycling is a brilliant activity, with none better for a spot of family bonding than a bike ride. And with baby seats there's no limit on the age of who can take part. Kids will feel very grown up on their bikes out with mum and dad. You could even take a map and get them to help devise the route.

Taking a picnic is popular. Remember to take plenty of drinks to keep the family hydrated, and cover heads with a hat, or even better, a cycling helmet.

Gardening is a great chance to get the children outdoors without straying too far from the house. Most young children enjoy helping in the garden, especially if they've got their own little plot.

Give them jobs like emptying buckets of weeds that will take them across the garden to the compost heap, or raking up grass cuttings or leaves. If you invest in some child-size tools, they can do their own digging.

Getting into the routine will not be simple, but once you and your children have found the pleasures and the benefits of exercise, you won't look back. And it will be a legacy passed on for generations.