Kids in Action: Fitness for Children

Jump the River (Fig. 11)
Jumping uses the child's own weight to build strength. If you do this for long periods of time, it can be good for the heart.

Lay a jump rope in a straight line on the floor - or draw a line on the ground with chalk.
Ask your child to pretend the line is a river.
Challenge him to jump from one side of the river to the other.

Also:

Be sure your child is landing with knees bent and heels coming all the way down to the floor.
When he's ready, you can "widen the river" by using two ropes, side by side, or a towel.

Fig. 11

Mirror Game (Fig. 12)
This cooperative game is great for social/emotional development. And it means children have to do with their bodies what their eyes are seeing. This will help later with writing, among other things.

Talk to your child about looking in the mirror.
Stand facing your child, explaining that you want her to do exactly as you do - just like she were your reflection in the mirror.
Begin making slow movements that you can do in place, like raising and lowering an arm, nodding your head, or clapping hands. Take turns being leader.

Also:

To help your child be more flexible, do things like bending and straightening at the waist, stretching arms overhead, or slowly reaching for your toes (keeping knees slightly bent).
To help with muscle strength, lift and lower the heels or do deep knee bends.
To help with heart health, jog or jump in place, stopping occasionally to rest.

Mother and preschool daughter pretend they are mirror images

Fig. 12

More Ideas for Preschoolers:

Bridges & Tunnels: Forming different kinds of bridges and tunnels with the body or body parts can help with both flexibility and muscle strength.

The Track Meet: Invite your child to pretend she's in a track meet at the Olympics. Can she pretend to jump hurdles, in addition to "running the track?"

"Simon Says": Play this excellent body-parts identification game without any elimination! To include fitness factors, have "Simon" issue challenges to jog or tiptoe in place, bend and stretch, or bend and straighten knees.

Statues: To get your child moving, put on a piece of up-tempo music and invite him to move while the music is playing and to freeze into a statue when you pause it.

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