Parents often face more challenges during their children’s vacation time than during school days. Adults may find traveling to be cumbersome, while children often complain about being bored at home. Instead of letting boredom take over, engaging in physical activities with your children can be a great solution. Parent-child exercises not only help reduce the pressures of daily life and work but also strengthen the bond between parents and children. Research both at home and abroad suggests that children and adolescents can benefit the most from 30 minutes of exercise per day for their overall health.
Now, let’s explore various types of exercises suitable for different categories:
Endurance Exercise:
Side-to-Side Run: Place two water bottles on the ground, and have the children quickly move between them using a side-slide motion for 60 seconds.
Kick the Ground: Supporting their hands and feet on the ground, children rapidly kick their legs forward and backward for 30 seconds.
Running in Place: Children can briskly jog in place for 30 seconds.
Leg Raises and Turns: While standing in place, children raise their legs high and rotate 90 degrees upon hearing an instruction from their parents, such as clapping hands. They alternate directions for a total of 60 seconds.
Balance Exercise:
One-Foot Ball Catch: Children stand on one foot while catching a ball thrown by their parent using their hands.
Single-Leg Hops: Children jump on one leg, ensuring a slightly bent knee upon landing, as they aim to maintain balance.
One-Leg Jump and Turn: Starting on one leg, children take off, perform a 90-degree turn in the air, and land firmly on one leg.
Strength Exercise:
Hip Bridge: Lying on the ground, knees flexed at a 90-degree angle, children lift their lower back off the ground using the force from their lower limbs, performing 10-15 repetitions as a set.
Wall Squat: Keeping their back against the wall, children bend their knees until their thighs are parallel to the ground, holding the position for 60 seconds.
Standard Squat: With feet shoulder-width apart, children squat until their knees are at a 90-degree angle. They perform this exercise for 15 seconds as a set.
Lunge Squat: Children squat with one leg positioned at a 90-degree angle while bending their back leg.
Flexibility Exercise:
Leg Muscle Stretch: Sitting on the ground, one leg is straight while the other leg is bent near the knee joint. Children maintain a straight back while using their abdominal muscles to reach their knee joint forward.
Shoulder Exercise: Standing on the ground, one hand extends downward from the head, and the other hand extends upward from the back. The goal is to touch both hands together.
By incorporating these exercises into your routine, you can lead your children towards an active and healthy lifestyle while enjoying quality time together.