Exercise At A Young Age

When I was in elementary school recess was a time to run around

, burn off the energy from snack time, and play with my friends. Little did I know that the playground equipment I loved then would lead me to a life of exercise.

It is incredibly important to teach children the exhilarating feeling of being active when they are young. With all of the distractions like television, computers, and even cell phones clouding the minds of young kids it's almost impossible to get them outdoors to play and be active. Required active outdoor play is a great way to get children outdoors and on the monkey bars.

Think about playground equipment as training for other gym equipment when they're older. Swing sets are the precursors to rowing machines-- the way that you need to pump your legs and stretch your back. Monkey bars are basically chin up bars as they are but they have the added benefit of stretching your back and other parts of your arm like your triceps and shoulders. Simply running around with youthful abandon is something all children need to do and can prepare them for marathons or treadmill exercise equipment later in life.

Why put such an emphasis on active play as kids? The recent numbers released about childhood obesity are startling. We can teach children about eating right and get them to eat proper lunches in school, but that doesn't necessarily teach them to be good to their bodies outside of the school environment.

Even Michelle Obama, our First Lady, has jumped to action to battle childhood obesity. Campaigns running on Sesame Street, Disney Channel, and Nickelodeon urge children to get up and exercise! Well, the only child-sized exercise equipment is playground equipment! Find a park near you that has a swing set, and other great equipment and take your child there a few times a week. They will see it as playing but you will see it as teaching them good habits for when they get older.

Don't think you need all that playground equipment to get your kids to exercise. Sometimes all it takes is some chalk and some playground surfaces to play hopscotch, snail, four square, or any other kind of games! Get your kids in the habit of going out to play on a regular basis and you will see the results as they turn into happy and fit adults.

by: Mark Etinger

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