A report by WHO found that even before the lockdown, 4 out of 5 teens were not registering enough exercise and physical activity, with the most alarming rates observed in Asian countries, including India and Korea.
It’s important to know that staying fit and active is important for the younger ones too staying at home. Guidelines suggest that kids who start exercising since a young age are at a lesser risk for developing Type-2 diabetes, Cancer, maintain weight, strengthen bones and the brains as well as ward off the risk for developing other lifestyle diseases. It is crucial that children spend a minim of 30-45 minutes each day indulging in any kind of physical activity.
Even though the little ones don’t need to engage in physically strenuous exercises or follow fancy online workouts, here are five such playful exercises kids can do sitting at home without having to move out.
1. Squats
While squats are a must-do exercise for any adult, the benefits extend to children as well. Regular practice of squats can build strength, endurance, help them stay in shape and you will be surprised to know how easily kids can do this. If you want to make it a little simpler for them, use a stool but encourage them to let their body touch the surface and quickly stand up.
2. Skipping rope exercise
If you have a skipping rope at home, there’s no better workout for the kids (as well as the adults) to do than this. It is a simple tool to work out the entire body, get the heart rate up and improve coordination and balance. Not to forget, it’s super fun and engaging for the little ones.
3. Crab walk
One of the easiest and the most exercises to do, this simply requires a child to sit with their hands backwards, legs in the front and crawl through like a crab. While it might look funny, a crab walk helps a growing child develop core muscles and strength in the legs and the arms.
4. Jumping jacks
Jumping jacks are a fun way of teaching your children agility and multidirectional movement at an early age. It is ideal for kids over the age of 6.
Get them to stand upright, arms on the sides. Tell them to bend slightly and jump and slowly, spread the legs apart and extend the arms over the head. Post this, get back to the start position and repeat.
5. Cat-cow stretch
Mastering the cat-cow stretch is a fun yogic move for all age groups and an extremely beneficial one. In fact, getting your kids to start doing yoga at a young age can improve strength, coordination and promote calmness. This yoga posture enhances mobility and strengthens core back muscles, which is essential during the development stage.