Make fitness a game that becomes habit

If your kids prefer spending their free moments slumped on the sofa, it’s time to get them active. But you don’t have to be a drill sergeant to prod them to exercise – games are a great way to create an active lifestyle. And with “The Family Fitness Fun Book” (Hatherleigh Press, 2005), parents will never be without ideas.

In the old days – before television, video games and computers – children played lively games with no prodding, everything from Kick the Can to Marco Polo. These pastimes may seem like quaint relics, but they can be easy ways to get children moving while teaching them to enjoy exercise and incorporate it into their lives.

The games in the book, such as Sneaky Patty, Red Rover and Slow-Pitch Stickball, include complete instructions. Equipment is kept to a minimum, usually balls and items found around the house such as brooms and soda bottles. Each game is assigned a level, from super easy to intense, and descriptions include what kind of weather is preferred, how long the game should last, how many players are needed and whether parental supervision is required.

The book’s philosophy is to get kids moving and having fun, not berating them about upping their activity level, says author Rose R. Kennedy, a mother who has written about eating and exercise for teens. “You don’t want to tell kids that maybe they’ll lose weight if they play these games,” she says. “Start by having fun and the benefits will come. If you want to run a marathon later, great, but this really should be the first way to go about family fitness.”