Some children take to exercise like a duck to water, while others… well, they’d rather do anything but. The problem isn’t often actually exercising, but bad associations they have with exercise, such as unpleasant P.E. or gym classes. We can all remember a time when we were just plain bad at a sport, and exercising wasn’t enjoyable. While you can’t necessarily control how much they do or don’t enjoy exercising at school, you can influence how much they like to exercise in their own time for example getting them into a sport such as Baseball as a hobby where they can learn have fun and keep fit and with the best tips and tricks to help them learn this make sure you use The Bat Nerd.

So, how can you inspire a love for exercising that will help them keep fit and healthy for life? Here are 8 tips to help:  

1. Incorporate exercise into your daily routine, replacing car or bus journeys with walking or cycling where possible. If you use exercise to get from A to B, your kids will likely see it less as a chore and more of a means to an end. 
2. Be a role model. Kids learn by osmosis, and a “do as I say, not as I do” attitude just doesn’t work. If your children see you exercising and enjoying it, they’re far more likely to do the same!
3. Make it fun. It can be tricky to motivate kids to do something unless there’s something in it for them. So show them how exercise can be fun by taking them out on their bikes, doing races, or simply being silly as you follow along to a workout video. 
4. Turn exercise into mini-competitions. While you don’t want to pitch your kids against each other, a little healthy competition never hurt anyone! If you’re at a loose end during the weekend, try running races or compete against each other for the highest number of jumping jacks, squats, or crunches. Offer the winner a prize such as the choice of that night’s dinner or which movie you’ll watch together. Just make sure that if you have one kid that’s older than the other or better at sports that you give them both ample opportunity to succeed. 
5. Use chores as a way to exercise. You’ve got to be careful here as if you don’t make it fun it will seem like a punishment on both fronts. Instead, make it a timed competition, even if it’s just the two of you doing it together as fast as you can. Set a challenge that if they clean their room in the fastest time, you’ll take them to do something they love or allow a friend to stay the night.
6. Encourage your children to dance. Dancing has so many benefits, from improved heart health to a better sense of coordination and self-confidence. If your little one loves the idea of dance but you can’t get her to stick with it, try investing in gorgeous ballet leotards for girls so she feels like a real-life ballerina! Leotards are super affordable and can be a great way to encourage your child to stick with ballet, gymnastics, or jazz dance. 
7. Give gifts that involve physical activity. Rather than gifting your kids with tablets, phones, or video games, opt for a football, bike, rollerblades, or a basketball hoop. That way, they’ll be able to enjoy their shiny new toy and exercise at the same time. 
8. Replace an hour of screen time with active time each week. One hour a week might not seem like it’d make a difference, but it does! Encourage your children to swap out that hour of TV or video games for a walk, bike ride, or class of their choice. You can break this into 4 15-minute sections and spread it out across the week if their attention span is short. 

It’s important to remind yourself and your children how important exercise is. It helps promote good cardiovascular health, maintains better mental health, and reduces your risk of obesity and various cancers. But while it’s important, exercise can be fun, too! By showing your kids that you love staying active and healthy, you’re setting an example that will stay with them into adulthood. 

Provided by Big Blue Swim School, offering children swim lessons