Summertime Kids’ Fitness in Baltimore
While there will be plenty of fun in the sun (with sunscreen, of course), adventures with friends, and backyard play, there is another activity to introduce to your kids this summer. Bring them along to work out with you. Read on to learn more about why summer is the perfect time to help kids learn to support lifelong fitness by joining a gym.
Falling Short on Fitness
Between heightened academic demands and the increased use of technology screens, kids today are suffering from a lack of physical activity. In fact, according to NPR, “Children around the world are less aerobically fit than their parents were as kids, a decline that researchers say could be setting them up for serious health problems once they’re grown up.”
More specifically, NPR points out, “Children today take 90 seconds longer to run a mile than kids did 30 years ago, according to data from 28 countries. Children’s aerobic fitness has declined by 5 percent since 1975.”
All in all, while kids should be getting a full hour of physical activity every day, the majority are not reaching this goal. And while parents are aware of the profound importance of exercise for kids, many also agree that supporting this initiative is challenging, according to the NPR survey. Take away gym classes at school, recess, and many academic-year based extracurricular sports and introduce the “freedom” of this time, and summer can often be a recipe for inactivity for kids.
The Benefits of Exercise for Kids
What’s the takeaway? Kids today are more sedentary than ever, and this can have long-term, detrimental impacts on your children’s health and wellness.
Conversely, engaging in regular exercise comes with many benefits according to KidsHealth, including stronger muscles and bones; leaner bodies; the decreased risk of becoming overweight; the decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes; and reduced blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. Kids who exercise also sleep better and even have a better outlook on life.
Leading by Example
Parents are the biggest role models in their kids’ lives. It follows that parental attitudes about diet and exercise are passed along to their children. The research backs this up. According to a study published in the International Journal of Pediatrics, young children whose parents were more supportive and encouraging of physical activity were 6.3 times more likely to be highly active than inactive.
The report’s conclusion? “In summary, parents occupy a privileged position in terms of influencing their children’s physical activity. First, they are the custodians of daily schedules and can, therefore, guide issues such as the amount of television viewed…. Second, parents have a direct influence on their children’s physical activity. Their support of physical activity, their own level of physical fitness, and their enjoyment of physical activity predict the extent to which their kids will engage in physical activity with sufficient intensity and duration.”
Kids and Brick Bodies
Making a commitment to fitness on your own behalf is just the start. But why not consider bringing your kids along with you the next time you go to the gym? At Brick Bodies, fitness programs for kids promote exercise as an important part of life. In addition to offering parents and kids a setting in which to work out together, we also offer everything from aquatic classes to sports-themed summer camps to dance birthday party bashes, all aimed at turning a trip to the gym from a chore to a chosen activity.
With the countdown to summer well underway, the season’s arrival brings unique opportunities to families. Why not commit together to ending this summer more active, fit, and connected to each other? Sign up for a trial pass today to start discovering the many ways Brick Bodies can help your family put fitness first.
