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Health insurance
- Australian Health Insurance: The top 10 things you need to know
- Don't cancel your health insurance
- Private Health Insurance Explained
- I’m young and healthy, why do I need health insurance?
- The Costs of Pregnancy
- How to Select a Health Insurance Provider
- Osteo vs. Chiro: What’s the Difference?
- What Private Health Insurance is Right for Me?
- Your handy checklist to Private Health Insurance
- Getting Health Insurance for the first time
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Health, Food & Diet
- Sugar content in alcohol - best & worst
- Coconut oil: the science
- Guilt free snacks
- 5 Post workout recipes
- Losing Weight Without a Fad Diet
- Cheat Days: Worth it?
- Light Milk: Healthier than Full Cream?
- Protein Shakes – Do they really work?
- All About the IIFYM Diet
- 8 Superfoods You’ve Never Heard Of
- 5 Surprising Facts About Coffee
- The Changes Your Body Goes through When you Quit Sugar
- Does Detoxing Actually Work?
- Delicious Sugar Free Recipes
- The Low-Down on Artificial Sweeteners
- The Health Benefits of Smoothies
- Breaking Sugar Addiction
- Organic vs Non Organic Foods
- 7 Healthy Kids Lunchbox Snacks
- The Great Weight Debate
- Fast or Feast? The Guide to the 5:2 Diet
- Medical Spotlight: Heart Disease
- Healthy Fast Food Options
- Salt – Friend or Foe?
- Spotlight on Sugar – how much sugar is in your favourite drinks?
- Are saturated fats and cholesterol really the bad guys?
- Nutritional Truths About Sushi
- What are Macrobiotics?
- Feeding fitness: Eating and exercise tips for breastfeeding mums
- The Raw Food Diet
- Foods and Asthma
- Kids and Food Allergies
- The Lowdown on Homeopathy
- Happy Valentines Day, Every Day! The Benefits of Chocolate
- Don’t worry – Eat happy! 5 mood enhancing foods
- Five foods for a healthy brain
- Minimize the Effects of Alcohol on Your Health
- Weight-loss TV, patience is not its virtue
- Parenting & children
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Sports & Fitness
- HIIT – Train Smarter, Not Harder!
- Crossfit – What’s all the hype about?
- This Year’s Hottest Fitness Trends
- Body Weight Workouts
- Training for a Triathlon – Where to Start
- Physical Culture: Let’s Get Physical
- Exercise at home
- Tips to get your kids moving
- Pregnancy and Exercise: Is it safe?Pregnancy and Exercise: Is it safe?
- 5 Ways to Train like an Olympic Athlete
- 3 Reasons To Stand Up At Work
Tips to get your kids moving
With three kids of my own I know how hard it is sometimes to get them off the couch. The lure of television, iPads, iPhones and video games means it can be tricky to get your kids active.
I am not the sort of mother to make my kids go for a quick jog or exercise class – they are only 5, 4 and 2. Instead, we’ve found a few, far more enjoyable, ways to exercise.
Turn the school run into a race.
If the weather’s fine we don’t do the school run in the car, we walk instead. Some days it can be a drag, so we take steps to make it fun. Instead of dawdling, we turn the trip to-and-from school into a competition. We challenge each other to see who can get to the school gate first. It gets everyone’s heart rate up and there is much squealing – a true indication of enjoyment.
Bounce to fitness.
Do you remember how much fun you had bouncing on a trampoline? I’d spend hours twisting, turning and somersaulting in the air. Now my kids do. Not only does it give my husband and I a bit of time out, it’s also boosting their health and flexibility. And best of all, they love it.
Scoot or ride you way to the park.
We often grab the scooters and the bikes and head to the park. Once there, we kick the ball around, the kids climb, slide, swing and roll down the hill. And then, when everyone’s tired out, we jump back on our bikes and scooters and head home. Quite often the journey there and back are the best bits of the adventure.
Dance Mania
Every chance we get at our house we turn the music on and dance. It’s the best for shaking any cares away. Regular dance-offs in our house are family affairs. We all jump around, singing and dancing.
Bust a move on the Nintendo Switch
When it’s raining outside, it’s often hard to find things to get the kids up and about. Like dancing, the Switch and other games are great for keeping kids active. It also gets them interested in a whole variety of sports.
Golden oldies
Hop scotch, hula hoops, elastics and skipping. And don’t forget hide and seek and chasey. All these golden oldies are not only fun, but also great for exercise. If your kids are laughing then you know they’ll come back for more.
Fun in the sun
Hot weather is no excuse for hiding indoors. When it heats up, slather on some sunscreen and find active ways to keep cool. Put the sprinkler on. Roll out the slip and slide. Fill the water pistols and the water balloons and be silly in the sun.
Make active choices
This might sound simple, but often it’s just simpler to take the easy option, particular when you have children. Maybe next time, instead of driving the kids somewhere, take the bus. Instead of going to the movies, go bowling. Instead of watching tv, go for a walk at the beach.
Exercise doesn’t always have to be structured. It doesn’t always have to be seen as boring. Exercise can make you laugh. Getting kids moving is one of the best gifts you can give them. By showing them ways to keep healthy, you can help them lead longer, happier lives.
Have you got any tips to get kids off the couch and exercising more?