Looking for exercise program for kids

I_am_the_Cosmos
I_am_the_Cosmos Posts: 69 Member
edited 3:59AM in Fitness and Exercise
Hi,

Does anyone have any recommendations for exercise programs for kids, specifically girls ages 7 and 10? My older two daughters aren't into sports and don't really DO much of anything. I was hoping for something not too strenuous for a half hour a day to do with them. I'll probably do it with them as I fully believe if it's good enough for them it should be good enough for me.

To be honest, my wife buys a LOT of sugary junk crap that they eat, and I don't want them falling into a bad lifestyle. I've been forewarning them that we need to start eating a lot healthier, but at the same point I don't want them resenting it or trying to sneak and binge. I'm open to all suggestions basically.

Thanks
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Replies

  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Zumba? Line dancing videos on YouTube? Hula hooping? Yoga (there are kid DVDs available)? Hiking? Biking?

    As for the eating, start by adding healthier options. Have them get involved in cooking and choosing what vegetables to eat. I have consistently had good luck with kids and roasted or grilled just about anything.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    Dance games on Xbox or similar? See if they can beat dad's score (and really rub it in when they can't).
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    Get out of the house and play. Monkey bars are fun...
  • I_am_the_Cosmos
    I_am_the_Cosmos Posts: 69 Member
    It's actually nice today, but usually winter where I'm at isn't the best time to go bike riding and outdoors. During spring/summer I do try to get them outside, but they don't seem to be big into sports in that way.

    The ten year old already feels she's "too old" for the park per se...
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Rather than "forewarning" your girls of food restrictions that are coming soon, maybe consider you and wife working it out and getting on the same page in this area? If your wife isn't on board, not much will change. Just sayin'.
  • Marilyn0924
    Marilyn0924 Posts: 797 Member
    I_am_the_Cosmos wrote: »
    It's actually nice today, but usually winter where I'm at isn't the best time to go bike riding and outdoors. During spring/summer I do try to get them outside, but they don't seem to be big into sports in that way.

    The ten year old already feels she's "too old" for the park per se...

    Ice skating, hiking and hunting for animal tracks, skiing, building snowmen, making snow angels, experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes/snacks, going to the mall to window shop?
    There's tons of stuff to do out of the house in winter!
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    lorrpb wrote: »
    Rather than "forewarning" your girls of food restrictions that are coming soon, maybe consider you and wife working it out and getting on the same page in this area? If your wife isn't on board, not much will change. Just sayin'.

    My thoughts exactly, it's not the kids that need to be forewarned (they're kids, at that age what they eat at home is up to the parents) if your wife isn't on board nothing will change. I'd say that's step #1.

    As to activities for the kids winter is still a great time to get outside, snowshoeing, x-country skiing, snow ball fights etc etc

  • Momepro
    Momepro Posts: 1,509 Member
    edited February 2018
    Go Noodle is fun stuff, Cosmic yoga is cool too. We are starting YouTube aerobics and dance lessons as a family fun thing, once my leg is healed up. That could be fun if you are good at letting yourselves be silly. You could also see if there is a dance or martial arts class somewhere you can all do together.
    Otherwise my daughter really only likes swimming right now :|
    As far as the goodies, what we are doing is allowing a certain amount of goodies per day, and allowing her to decide when she's going to eat it. She cannot save for the next day, so it resets every morning. That way she knows it's available and what a moderate amount is, but she has control over if and when she will take it.
  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
    Out of curiosity, OP, do you or your wife currently follow an exercise program?
    You mentioned that you would do an exercise program with them, but nothing about what either of you do currently. Seeing that purposeful exercise can be fun/enjoyable can make a big impact on kids. (And if they're not seeing either parent exercise, why should they be forced to?)

    You seem to be pretty hung up on them not liking sports, but there's lots of activities that aren't limited to sports. (OR maybe you just need to find the 'sport' that they might enjoy.)

    I wasn't into sports as a kid either, but there were local programs that had other activities I was into. I went to a cave one summer, I was in Girl Scouts and Youth Group. I had always hated purposeful exercise, but after I was exposed to lifting weights in school I fell in love with that.

    Walking around the mall is something that at the least gets them out of the house. Do they paint their nails? Do chores to earn something?
    Ask them what hobbies or activities they may be interested in.
  • I_am_the_Cosmos
    I_am_the_Cosmos Posts: 69 Member
    I do follow an exercise program. My wife not so much. And yes, my wife does the shopping and I probably need an intervention at this point.

    I tend to take them roller skating, ice skating and bike riding currently. Hobbies/activities they tend to like are theater (both take classes) and staring at a damn screen which I frequently ban.
  • I_am_the_Cosmos
    I_am_the_Cosmos Posts: 69 Member
    Momepro wrote: »
    Go Noodle is fun stuff, Cosmic yoga is cool too. We are starting YouTube aerobics and dance lessons as a family fun thing, once my leg is healed up. That could be fun if you are good at letting yourselves be silly. You could also see if there is a dance or martial arts class somewhere you can all do together.
    Otherwise my daughter really only likes swimming right now :|
    As far as the goodies, what we are doing is allowing a certain amount of goodies per day, and allowing her to decide when she's going to eat it. She cannot save for the next day, so it resets every morning. That way she knows it's available and what a moderate amount is, but she has control over if and when she will take it.

    I'm going to try this: thanks for the advice.
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
    My kids (9&7) have a limits with ipads/tv (no games on the ipad during the school week; only used to code on Scratch; and a max of 40 minutes of tv time in the evening; no tv in the AM).

    The kids have to stay outside for a minimum of 30 minutes (weather permitting) as soon as they get home from school (before activities). They both do swim lessons and tae kwan do (total of4 nights a week).

    My kids are NOT team sports kids. We tried. They both prefer individual sports (like swimming and tkd). Your kids might enjoy something similar...I also hated team sports as a kid, b/c I wasn't fast and don't like being yelled at. I did take tennis and ice skating lessons, which I enjoyed.

    The kids are allowed 1 sweet treat a day. Food restrictions might become a slippery slope. I don't keep many treats in the house, b/c I have self-control issues...

    This is a topic you have to work out with your wife before involving the kids.
  • Biker_SuzCO
    Biker_SuzCO Posts: 54 Member
    Get a dog and walk it as a family/have kids commit to walking the dog daily!
  • 30kgin2017
    30kgin2017 Posts: 228 Member
    TBH sounds like you and your wife need to get on the same page, you mentioned they are your older daughters so I assume theres another kid or two younger than them so maybe your wife has her hands full. Not to sound mean but do you facilitate time for your wife to exercise if she wanted to, or even a hobby that she would like to persue. You sound a bit like my husband who falls into the authoritarian parenting style that he disliked in his own Dad but is what he knows. We have conflicting parenting styles having come from different backgrounds.

    Back to kids and exercise, just keep trying. See what their friends do for exercise/activities. If they like drama maybe dance or circus training would be up their alley. My husband and I have made a conscious effort proirtise each others fitness goals (previously we struggled to get a schedule where both of us could achieve our goals but that also might be because kids are a bit older now so are less hands on/less constant supervision required), I've found that our kids are much more interested in joining mum for a run or using the home gym like dad does now that they can see both parents being active. Now days the struggle is there is not a single day in our house where someone doesnt have something on so our house can look like a bomb has hit it but thats a different struggle....
  • Courtscan2
    Courtscan2 Posts: 499 Member
    I've been doing couch to 5k with my 9 year old girl and she is loving it. She has done a couple of races and loves getting the medal at the end, but this is the first time we've ever done real "training" with her and it's been amazing for her confidence in her running, her belief in herself, and she's loving the nightly one on one time with me on our runs.
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    If your kids like theater, maybe consider dance. Theater and ballet, jazz, and tap go together well.

    Tweens tend to phase out of playground structure play. But no one outgrows a park. Now is the time for Frisbee tossing, kite flying, biking, rollerblading and so on.

    Sports are not the only or even best way to get exercise either. Lifetime exercise such as hiking or bike riding or walking are just great.
  • I_am_the_Cosmos
    I_am_the_Cosmos Posts: 69 Member
    30kgin2017 wrote: »
    TBH sounds like you and your wife need to get on the same page, you mentioned they are your older daughters so I assume theres another kid or two younger than them so maybe your wife has her hands full. Not to sound mean but do you facilitate time for your wife to exercise if she wanted to, or even a hobby that she would like to persue. You sound a bit like my husband who falls into the authoritarian parenting style that he disliked in his own Dad but is what he knows. We have conflicting parenting styles having come from different backgrounds.

    Back to kids and exercise, just keep trying. See what their friends do for exercise/activities. If they like drama maybe dance or circus training would be up their alley. My husband and I have made a conscious effort proirtise each others fitness goals (previously we struggled to get a schedule where both of us could achieve our goals but that also might be because kids are a bit older now so are less hands on/less constant supervision required), I've found that our kids are much more interested in joining mum for a run or using the home gym like dad does now that they can see both parents being active. Now days the struggle is there is not a single day in our house where someone doesnt have something on so our house can look like a bomb has hit it but thats a different struggle....

    That's fair. I also come from an authoritarian background and a house. My father went through a mid-life crisis and got into incredible shape: however from age 11 to when I moved out there was basically only healthy food in the house, and never snacks of any kind. And I do have three daughters ages 10, 7 and soon to be 3 so I admit that she does have her hands full. I do try to help out as much as i can but I also work a lot and between work and commuting I'm gone by 7 AM and getting home around 7 PM. So there is probably some truth in that.

    My daughters do dance once a week, but personally I don't see that as enough. They also do theater and the middle one does martial arts twice a week. As I'm writing all this I'm thinking I really need to focus on their eating habits.

    Thanks for the advice.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    Make it feel more like play rather than exercise/punishment. Just DO stuff with them that's active like going to the park or something. Maybe dance?
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    I_am_the_Cosmos wrote: »
    30kgin2017 wrote: »
    TBH sounds like you and your wife need to get on the same page, you mentioned they are your older daughters so I assume theres another kid or two younger than them so maybe your wife has her hands full. Not to sound mean but do you facilitate time for your wife to exercise if she wanted to, or even a hobby that she would like to persue. You sound a bit like my husband who falls into the authoritarian parenting style that he disliked in his own Dad but is what he knows. We have conflicting parenting styles having come from different backgrounds.

    Back to kids and exercise, just keep trying. See what their friends do for exercise/activities. If they like drama maybe dance or circus training would be up their alley. My husband and I have made a conscious effort proirtise each others fitness goals (previously we struggled to get a schedule where both of us could achieve our goals but that also might be because kids are a bit older now so are less hands on/less constant supervision required), I've found that our kids are much more interested in joining mum for a run or using the home gym like dad does now that they can see both parents being active. Now days the struggle is there is not a single day in our house where someone doesnt have something on so our house can look like a bomb has hit it but thats a different struggle....

    That's fair. I also come from an authoritarian background and a house. My father went through a mid-life crisis and got into incredible shape: however from age 11 to when I moved out there was basically only healthy food in the house, and never snacks of any kind. And I do have three daughters ages 10, 7 and soon to be 3 so I admit that she does have her hands full. I do try to help out as much as i can but I also work a lot and between work and commuting I'm gone by 7 AM and getting home around 7 PM. So there is probably some truth in that.

    My daughters do dance once a week, but personally I don't see that as enough. They also do theater and the middle one does martial arts twice a week. As I'm writing all this I'm thinking I really need to focus on their eating habits.

    Thanks for the advice.

    Do they have any interest in tumbling/gymnastics? Do you have a SkyZone nearby?
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    edited February 2018
    I_am_the_Cosmos wrote: »
    That's fair. I also come from an authoritarian background and a house. My father went through a mid-life crisis and got into incredible shape: however from age 11 to when I moved out there was basically only healthy food in the house, and never snacks of any kind. And I do have three daughters ages 10, 7 and soon to be 3 so I admit that she does have her hands full. I do try to help out as much as i can but I also work a lot and between work and commuting I'm gone by 7 AM and getting home around 7 PM. So there is probably some truth in that.

    My daughters do dance once a week, but personally I don't see that as enough. They also do theater and the middle one does martial arts twice a week. As I'm writing all this I'm thinking I really need to focus on their eating habits.

    Thanks for the advice.

    So of your three kids the 7 year old does physical activity three days a week, all three do dance once a week, and I'm assuming the two oldest do theater? I suspect you're on the verge of pushing too much for no logical reason, especially with the middle kid. Really, just emphasize play (especially with the 3 year old) and stop talking to them about needing to eat healthy food. Also, note that you more or less contradicted your first post,
    Does anyone have any recommendations for exercise programs for kids, specifically girls ages 7 and 10? My older two daughters aren't into sports and don't really DO much of anything. I was hoping for something not too strenuous for a half hour a day to do with them.
    Your middle child clearly does do quite a lot and I suspect your oldest child is exercising enough as well. Also it sounds like you won't necessarily be doing a whole lot with them during the workweek given your schedule. If you're getting home around 7 I'm assuming that's around dinner time and I can't imagine your daughters go to bed terribly late. Maybe add another day of dance in for the oldest, but I see no need to forewarn about healthy eating (that sounds like a recipe for disaster) or take away treats. Just gradually change the way you eat (though like others said, you're probably not doing much of the cooking so you're going to have to work that out with your wife) and don't ban anything outright.
  • DamienAngelica
    DamienAngelica Posts: 281 Member
    ^ I second all this.
  • marissafit06
    marissafit06 Posts: 1,996 Member
    My older son is a mindless eater and tends to put on weight if we aren't careful. He likes activity, but not organized sports. Tbh what is most helpful is for us to keep calorie dense snacks (cookies, cheez-its, pretzels) out of the house and provide healthy balanced dinners. We keep fruit in the house for them to snack on and limit treats, but don't call it a diet. Doctor also recommended limiting calorie dense foods in order to teach healthy eating habits.
  • roseo13
    roseo13 Posts: 4 Member
    I didn't read all the responses, so forgive me if any of this is a repeat. I have 5 kids (blended family) from 7-19.
    My youngest is a yoga freak. He really took to it when he was doing soccer, and now that he's into karate, he stuck with it. He also has one of those blow up punching bags, that counts where you hit and gives you points. He loves that.
    My 8 year old girl is a couch potato, but I can normally convince her to help me walk the dogs, because she likes being useful and bragging that she did something nobody else does.
    My 9 year old girl is obsessed with gymnastics ever since the summer olympics, so with her I look up different stretches we can do together, or set up a DIY balance beam from old 2x4s and we make up our own routines and score each other.
    The 14 year old girl, I give her $10 and ask if she'll walk to the store and grab random things (it's around 1.5 miles away).
    19 year old boy, (no job, no drivers license rule) is pretty much stuck riding his bike to friends houses etc.
    We also have a family contest around once a week that my husband loves because he ALWAYS wins. We all do as many push ups as we can in a rep, and the winner gets to pick what's for dinner the next night.
    So basically, I found out what they are interested in a figured out how to make it work for them, or straight up trick them like the teenagers.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I suggest you start daily walks/hikes/bike rides as a family. So not a routine, but something that gets them up and moving, but along with the family. If they see others doing it they would be more apt to themselves
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I_am_the_Cosmos wrote: »
    It's actually nice today, but usually winter where I'm at isn't the best time to go bike riding and outdoors. During spring/summer I do try to get them outside, but they don't seem to be big into sports in that way.

    The ten year old already feels she's "too old" for the park per se...

    Look on YouTube for exercise videos. Tae Bo is fairly straight forward, can you learn it together? There is a kids video by Billy Blanks, but if your daughter is too old for the park, she will be too old for Tae Bo Kicks.


    Leslie Sansone has simple "walking" style videos. This may be more your style than theirs.....if they like dance Leslie Sansone will be pretty boring. You could also try Jessica Smith walking videos. She has some labeled "dance walk." Jessica also has kickboxing videos too.
  • BlendaBrenda
    BlendaBrenda Posts: 75 Member
    My girls really like cosmic yoga. Its on YouTube. She does like the entire movie of frozen and Moana through yoga. Its not intense but fun!
  • I_am_the_Cosmos
    I_am_the_Cosmos Posts: 69 Member
    aokoye wrote: »
    I_am_the_Cosmos wrote: »
    That's fair. I also come from an authoritarian background and a house. My father went through a mid-life crisis and got into incredible shape: however from age 11 to when I moved out there was basically only healthy food in the house, and never snacks of any kind. And I do have three daughters ages 10, 7 and soon to be 3 so I admit that she does have her hands full. I do try to help out as much as i can but I also work a lot and between work and commuting I'm gone by 7 AM and getting home around 7 PM. So there is probably some truth in that.

    My daughters do dance once a week, but personally I don't see that as enough. They also do theater and the middle one does martial arts twice a week. As I'm writing all this I'm thinking I really need to focus on their eating habits.

    Thanks for the advice.

    So of your three kids the 7 year old does physical activity three days a week, all three do dance once a week, and I'm assuming the two oldest do theater? I suspect you're on the verge of pushing too much for no logical reason, especially with the middle kid. Really, just emphasize play (especially with the 3 year old) and stop talking to them about needing to eat healthy food. Also, note that you more or less contradicted your first post,
    Does anyone have any recommendations for exercise programs for kids, specifically girls ages 7 and 10? My older two daughters aren't into sports and don't really DO much of anything. I was hoping for something not too strenuous for a half hour a day to do with them.
    Your middle child clearly does do quite a lot and I suspect your oldest child is exercising enough as well. Also it sounds like you won't necessarily be doing a whole lot with them during the workweek given your schedule. If you're getting home around 7 I'm assuming that's around dinner time and I can't imagine your daughters go to bed terribly late. Maybe add another day of dance in for the oldest, but I see no need to forewarn about healthy eating (that sounds like a recipe for disaster) or take away treats. Just gradually change the way you eat (though like others said, you're probably not doing much of the cooking so you're going to have to work that out with your wife) and don't ban anything outright.

    Then it has to be simply food, as I think it out. It also FEELS like she doesn't do a lot. A lot of it is that I can't figure why she got so chubby over the last year. Her dance classes are rather short, and when I've attended them they don't seem very active. (She does tap). The karate is admittedly a bit better.

    It's going to be hard to confront the wife.
  • Momepro
    Momepro Posts: 1,509 Member
    I_am_the_Cosmos wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    I_am_the_Cosmos wrote: »
    That's fair. I also come from an authoritarian background and a house. My father went through a mid-life crisis and got into incredible shape: however from age 11 to when I moved out there was basically only healthy food in the house, and never snacks of any kind. And I do have three daughters ages 10, 7 and soon to be 3 so I admit that she does have her hands full. I do try to help out as much as i can but I also work a lot and between work and commuting I'm gone by 7 AM and getting home around 7 PM. So there is probably some truth in that.

    My daughters do dance once a week, but personally I don't see that as enough. They also do theater and the middle one does martial arts twice a week. As I'm writing all this I'm thinking I really need to focus on their eating habits.

    Thanks for the advice.

    So of your three kids the 7 year old does physical activity three days a week, all three do dance once a week, and I'm assuming the two oldest do theater? I suspect you're on the verge of pushing too much for no logical reason, especially with the middle kid. Really, just emphasize play (especially with the 3 year old) and stop talking to them about needing to eat healthy food. Also, note that you more or less contradicted your first post,
    Does anyone have any recommendations for exercise programs for kids, specifically girls ages 7 and 10? My older two daughters aren't into sports and don't really DO much of anything. I was hoping for something not too strenuous for a half hour a day to do with them.
    Your middle child clearly does do quite a lot and I suspect your oldest child is exercising enough as well. Also it sounds like you won't necessarily be doing a whole lot with them during the workweek given your schedule. If you're getting home around 7 I'm assuming that's around dinner time and I can't imagine your daughters go to bed terribly late. Maybe add another day of dance in for the oldest, but I see no need to forewarn about healthy eating (that sounds like a recipe for disaster) or take away treats. Just gradually change the way you eat (though like others said, you're probably not doing much of the cooking so you're going to have to work that out with your wife) and don't ban anything outright.

    Then it has to be simply food, as I think it out. It also FEELS like she doesn't do a lot. A lot of it is that I can't figure why she got so chubby over the last year. Her dance classes are rather short, and when I've attended them they don't seem very active. (She does tap). The karate is admittedly a bit better.

    It's going to be hard to confront the wife.

    Is your middle girl hitting puberty? Weight gain is SUPER common around then, and it is also the easiest time to give them a complex, because so much change is going on with them that they can't control, food and excercise can often become something they OVER control.
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