Children can become better players with exercise away from sports. Jogging, push-ups and sit-ups will improve performance at games. However, exercise for kids is no more enjoyable than for adults. Thus if parents want their child to exercise more, they need to find ways to make it fun until kids can appreciate the value of exercise for themselves. Some suggestions include:
- Parent Participation - Having someone to exercise with is better than exercising alone.
- Games and Competitions - Playing a family game of soccer in the backyard or park can be more fun than jogging and can still accomplish the same result.
- Performance Charting - Keep track of the time or repetitions to give kids a sense of accomplishment.
Exercise benefits come only with time and exercise efforts are always easier to start than to continue. If parents can't stay with it, it is unlikely that kids will either. Setting up a regular schedule that is enjoyed by everyone is the only way that exercise can have a positive impact on kids.