5 Ways to Encourage Children to Get Active

Do you remember your childhood? Have you ever thought about how different your childhood was compared to your child’s? I think about it all the time! I remember playing outside until the sun went down. I NEVER wanted to be inside! Sadly, things have changed and kids love being indoors. Why go outside and play when they have so much entertainment from the comfort of their couch?

It’s important that as parents we encourage our children to get up and get active! I have teamed up with Real California Milk to bring you this post. This is a program I truly believe in and a program that my son absolutely loves! As a parent I love that programs like Fuel Up to Play 60 are available as a resource to parents and schools to help encourage physical activity and a healthy lifestyle.

Real California Milk, which represents more than 1,450 dairy families, has activated Fuel Up to Play 60, a national campaign by the NFL and National Dairy Council that promotes physical activity and good nutrition in schools.

Thankfully, my 10-year-old son is very active during the football season. Between July and October, he’s on the football field every single day. Football is his passion and he dreams of playing in the NFL someday. However, when football season is over he turns into a couch potato. As a parent, I not only want to see his dreams come true but I want to ensure he’s healthy. Part of being healthy is eating nutritious foods and getting at least 60-minutes of physical activity every day.

5 Ways to Encourage Kids to Get Active

1. Get Active with Your Children

Don’t just send your kids out to play by themselves. Get out there and play with them! Find out what your kids love to do and take part in the fun. Ride bikes with your children, throw a football, play a game of basketball or go swimming.

2. Make Exercise a Part of Your Family’s Daily Life

After dinner take walks, go hiking on the weekends, head to the batting cages, go rollerskating, the possibilities are endless!

3. Limit Time with Electronics

No-one needs to be glued to electronics all day and night. Encourage your children to find activities that don’t revolve around electronics. Set limitations on electronics and stick to them!

4. Use Exercise As A Reward

If you are finding it hard to get your child away from the electronics, use exercise as a reward.  There are times on the weekend when all my son wants to do is play Madden on the Xbox. I usually tell him he needs to go outside and throw the football with his dad for an hour and then he can play a football game on the Xbox. That usually gets him very motivated to get up and do something!

5. Give Your Children a Voice

It’s really hard to get motivated to do something you don’t enjoy. Instead of forcing your child to engage in an activity they don’t enjoy, give them a voice. Ask them what they enjoy doing. It doesn’t really matter what they are doing as long as they are active and having fun!

More About the Fuel Up to Play 60 Program

Fuel Up to Play 60 encourages children to eat foods that are nutrient-rich-foods, this means low-fat and fat-free dairy, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Children should also achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day! The program is designed to create sustainable change at schools in terms of access to good nutrition and increased physical activity.

As parents we need to realize that we can’t depend on the schools for everything. We have to do our part at home and that’s why I encourage parents to sign up for the Fuel to Play 60 program.

Head on over to the Fuel to Play 60 website and sign up. Take some time to learn as much about the program as you can. I would also encourage you to speak with officials at your child’s school about the program.

Qualifying California schools participating in Fuel up to Play 60 may be eligible for up to $4,000 through the Spring Grant Funding Program, to help support their health and wellness programs. This competitive program is designed to support schools that implement plays from the 2015-2016 edition of the Fuel Up to Play 60 Playbook. These plays can range from creating a healthy breakfast program in a school to coordinating the 100 Mile Club, which challenges students to walk, jog or run 100 miles at school in a single school year to improve their health and well-being.

In addition to the grant, Central Valley schools, and students grades 4th-10th can participate in the Get In the Game Challenge from now until May 22.

• The school with highest number of student sign-ups will receive a celebration event at the school on June 3, 2015 featuring games, food and special guests from the San Francisco 49ers, including an active and/or former player and mascot Sourdough Sam.
• In addition, the winning school will receive a dedicated stadium brick in the Levi’s® Stadium Fanwalk in Santa Clara, Calif.

• To apply for a spring grant, visit fueluptoplay60.com to for information and to get your school involved. Grant deadline is June 16.

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