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Physical activity is crucial for kids development. Naturally, there are many physical benefits of exercise, such as improved fine and gross motor skills as well as enhanced cardiovascular strength and hand-eye coordination. There are also plenty of less-obvious benefits of physical activities. Exercises can boost cognitive development through creative play and improved problem-solving abilities, and they promote social development as kids interact with their parents and others while being active.
Unfortunately, not all kids love exercising and that’s where parents become highly responsible for nurturing a physically healthy child. In this case, it is essential not to understate the role of fathers in the process of children’s physical development.
Granted, we’ve come quite far from the olden days of the “nuclear family,” where the mother was expected to do all of the work around the house and raise physically strong kids while the father was focused on job duties and did little to cultivate interest to sport and healthy way of life. However, there are still many cases when fathers ignore the high importance of their involvement in kids physical development. Like any other educational process, nurturing physically healthy kids requires long-term focus, patience, and good personal example. But how often do fathers actually come up with a system of regular physical education for kids?
The good news is that an increasing number of people have begun to recognize the value of fatherhood and the responsibility for child mental and physical growth that fathers have. Involved fathers want to play a crucial role in cognitive and behavioral development as well as the overall physical health of the child. Additionally, they understand that having a positive male role model benefits both sons and daughters later in life.
Involved fathers know that it is not enough to go jogging together with kids once a week or enroll the child in the karate section. There has to be a complex education approach that will promote a comprehensive physical culture in kids. Involved fathers understand that their kids might like some other sports games than they do like and they avoid the conflict of interests. And the most important thing involved fathers know is that many activities do not take much time. It means that even the busiest parents can find time to exercise together with kids. Let’s take a look at some ideas on how to achieve this:
1. Use exercise time as bonding time
One of the best ways to make the most of your time is by making physical activities fun for the whole family. A family hike, bike ride, or stroll through the park can be a great way to promote family time while also getting in some exercise.
2. Invite the whole neighborhood
A great way to encourage your kids to play with others is to organize a group play session with other parents. Games of pick-up basketball in the cul de sac or a group game of tag or hide and seek can be a great way to socialize with others while getting moving. Plus, it’s a great way for a family to socialize with other parents and encourage other dads to get involved.
3. Have a few passive activities on-hand
Sometimes, keeping up with kids can be hard. Maybe a father had a busy week at work, or he might be a little sore from a bike ride. If that’s the case, then it’s important to have activities that kids can enjoy while parents relax. Things like a kids jungle gym can help kids get moving when parents need a bit of a break.
It becomes clear that exercising does not always imply serious preparation for visiting a specific sports ground. By encouraging kids to be active and setting a good example, fathers can help kids become healthy, well-rounded adults. The thing they need to remember is that it is essential for children to practice regularly. To achieve this, parents should help kids to find those activities that they enjoy because the development of a true passion for the sport is the true purpose of the entire nurturing process. As a result, kids will have a big desire to play themselves and they can keep pursuing physical activity well into their lives.
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This content is sponsored by Vladyslav Opryshko.
Photo: iStockPhoto