Tips for Parents

"The best thing to give to your child is a good example."
Francis Maitland Balfour

Nutrition and physical activity are important to a child's well-being. The following are tips and ideas to encourage physical activity with children and youth.

• Start Young – Incorporating physical activity into a child's everyday life at an early age sets the foundation for good habits for years to come.
• Healthy Eating – Eating a healthy balanced diet maximizes the benefits of physical activity. Check out this link for further information on healthy eating.
• Have Fun – Find out what activities your child enjoys. Try a variety of activities to discover which ones they like and which they don't. Support your child in accessing and organizing fun activities alone or with family or friends.
• Be a Role Model – Find activities that you enjoy and show your children how being physically active can be fun. Be active with your kids, they will enjoy the fun quality time.
• Be Safe – Before participating in a physical activity, always review the related safety considerations and practices.
• Keep it Simple – Physical activity doesn't need to cost a lot or require a lot of equipment. Here are some examples:
• Swimming
• Walking and discovering your neighborhood
• Bicycling
• Going to the park
• Skating
• Dancing
• Walking the dog
• Raking the leaves
• Cleaning the house
• Playing hide and seek
• Turn off the TV – Keep a balance between TV, video games, and computer time for your child with active pursuits with friends and/or family. While watching TV, have mini physical activity bursts during the commercial breaks. For example, try to do as many push-ups, jumping jacks, or sit-ups as you can during one commercial.
• Promote Physical Activity – Children don't have to be in sports or take specific classes to be active. There are many non-competitive activities that are available for a child who is not interested in organized athletics. Children can benefit a lot by simply walking and biking more often. Children can also rollerblade, jump rope, skateboard, or play badminton in the backyard.
• Physical Activity Guide – For more information to help you in making physical activity a part of your children's lives, check out:
• Family Guide to Physical Activity for Children (6-9 years of age) 
• Family Guide to Physical Activity for Youth (10-14 years of age)

Family in motion Activities

Here are some ideas families can do to encourage regular physical activity:

• Walk to the store, recreation centre, to meet your friends.
• Set goals together as a family.
• Do things around the house as a family; rake the leaves, shovel the snow, wash the car.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Walk after supper or during your lunch break.
• Organize neighbourhood and/or family games.
• Play outside.
• Challenge yourself and try an activity you have never tried before.
• Walk the dog and invite someone to join you.
• Go hiking on a trail or at the park.
• Plant and maintain a vegetable or flower garden.
• Join a fitness class with a friend or family member.
• Have commercial exercise breaks. Do a series of exercises while you wait for the commercials such as jumping jacks, sit ups, push ups, lunges, etc.
• Get off the bus one stop earlier.
• Park the car in the farthest possible spot.
• Dance to your favourite music for 10 minutes each day.
• Ride your bike, in-line skate, or skateboard.
• Go for a swim or skate.
• Try something new like yoga or Pilates.
• Go bowling for the next family gathering.
• Participate in community, provincial and national events that offer physical activity opportunities. You can support a worthwhile event while enjoying some physical activity.