Kids Games and Community Fun

I can remember the whole neighborhood, with kids from about 8 years old up to 16 years old getting together on the street we grew up on. We’d play frisbee, basketball, and the game I looked forward to the most – our own version of “prison break” (a street-long game of tag but with cops and robbers).

Those kids games were all in addition to being on the town swim team, karate practice, and soccer. I’m sure my parents have similar memories of the games they played when they were growing up.

Sure, I spent a little bit of time watching my favorite sports teams – the Celtics, Bruins, Red Sox, and Patriots. Yes, I’m from Boston. And, of course, I had my trusty Nintendo with all the latest in sports video gaming, but nothing beat getting outside and actually having fun with my brother, sister, and all the neighborhood kids.

Many of my personal training clients tell me about carting their kids from one team practice to another, but if there isn’t a “forced” practice those same parents tell me about their troubles getting their kids away from the computer, TV, and their video games to participate in regular kids games.

Compare your class photographs from elementary school to your kids’ class photos. There is usually an obvious difference. Walk down the street or go to the mall and you’ll notice that it is scary to see the children showing obvious signs of being overweight or even dangerously obese.

It’s not something I ever remember thinking about when I was younger. There may have been only one child in class who had any sort of weight issues. Now, the kids don’t think about it, because so many of them suffer.

As parents you are probably familiar with the health issues that can arise from poor nutritional habits and poor exercise habits. If you haven’t had your doctor tell you that it is time to head to the gym or start eating better, then you probably have a friend or relative that has.

If your children don’t start taking care of themselves now by playing more kids games, their medical issues are going to start sooner and be more detrimental than those of the generations before them.

As a personal trainer for the past decade, I’ve been fortunate to work with men and women all the way up to 85 years old and it’s always a pleasure seeing the changes that I can help them make.

What has been as rewarding is the time I’ve been able to spend teaching kids camps fitness classes to groups of 4 year olds to 8 year olds.

Within in each group I had the entire spectrum of athletic ability and listening ability. Some of the kids already presented psychological issues with their weight. Some had low self-esteem. Some were avid sports fans and extremely energetic. Keeping their interest for half an hour and making sure that everyone had fun was a great challenge and something I look forward to continuing.

What was surprising to me was that the youngest participants had the best attentiveness and the greatest ability. Maybe they haven’t had enough time to build up any bad habits. Hopefully they still love the thought of being active and aren’t glued to a TV or computer screen.

Even if you are not a personal trainer, but you are a concerned parent, doctor, or school teacher, you can make a difference.

Here are 3 simple things you can do to make a difference in your children’s physical fitness.

1. Get Involved – How many times have you listened to someone who told you what to do, but didn’t follow their own advice? Kids are smarter than we think and they pick up on these things very quickly. They eat what we eat and they do what we do. So, if you aren’t exercising or getting outside for walks or even a game of catch, then they won’t either.

2. Plan a Neighborhood Game Day – Whether it is in the park, on the front lawn, or in your backyard, kids will be more likely to fully engage in an activity if their friends are doing it to. Pick a day and pick a time and start playing. Maybe it’ll be a kickball game one week and capture the flag the next. If you’re feeling “young again” then try a parents versus kids day. Kids love to beat up on their parents!

3. Keep It Fun! – Whatever activity you and your kids decide upon, it needs to be something your children look forward to. If they don’t love it, even if it’s good for them, it will feel like a chore. Talk to your kids. Find out what motivates them and what’s fun for them. Talk to your kid’s friends, too. I’m sure you’ll be surprised to learn how much they already know about their own health and fitness!

...About the Author...

David Bohmiller, BS, NSCA-CSCS is the owner of My Personal Trainer School LLC http://www.My-Personal-Trainer-School.com in Manhattan Beach, CA.

He specializes in weight loss, fat loss, and fitness fun for men, women, and children. To talk to David about health lectures for schools, your community, or your business or for group or individual personal training, Contact him at Manhattan Beach Personal Trainer.

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