Keeping Kids Active
How do you get your kids active outside during a pandemic?
The pandemic has affected so many aspects of our lives, but one thing that hasn’t changed is our Labrador retriever’s need to start his day with some vigorous ball-throwing at the park. One of his “friends” always stops by for a treat, and as I delivered the dog biscuit one morning last fall, I called across the park to the dog’s owner about how her daughter, an avid rep basketball player, was making out with schools closed and her basketball team sidelined.
“I can’t get her out of the house,” the exasperated mom said.
Which isn’t unusual, according to the 2020 ParticipAction report card on physical activity for children and youth, which found that “only 4.8 per cent of children (ages 5–11) and 0.8 per cent of youth (ages 12–17) were meeting 2 4-hour movement behaviour guidelines during covid- 19 restrictions, compared to the 15 per cent (5–17 years) prior to the pandemic.”
I have long argued that activities for younger kids (until they are at least 11 or 12) should be focused on skill development and fun. With so many structured activities cancelled during the pandemic, we actually have an amazing opportunity right now – a chance to instil a love of an active lifestyle in our children.
Be a role model
The World Health Organization ( who) says that children f ive to 17 years old should do at least an average of 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous intensity (walking, for example) and incorporate vigorous-intensity aerobic activities (running, cycling) at least three days a week.
If these guidelines fill you with panic because your kids are’t even coming close to this level of activity, take solace in knowing that you’re not alone. Kids are much more likely to embrace (and maintain) an active lifestyle if they are introduced to it from a young age, and it’s never too late to start modelling this. Even during lockdowns, health officials encourage people to get outside. Whether it’s a walk, a run, a bike ride or a hike, getting outside with your kids on a regular basis is a critical part of ensuring that they will be active. Make them a part of your regular training routine. (No, I am not suggesting your 10-year-old start running 5 km with you – but having them join you for a few kilometres of a warmup or cooldown is a great idea.)
Make it fun
If it’s not fun, children won’t do it, let alone stick with it. One of my favourite things to do with my own children was to set up an obstacle course that included climbing, running, jumping and sliding when we went to the park.
An obstacle course isn’t going to get your teenager outside, but a socially distanced hike with some other friends might. Ditto for a bike ride, or a skate. Don’t keep pushing if your child doesn’t enjoy an activity – see if you can find something else that they like. Another option: ask kids to take responsibility for at least one daily dog walk.
Exercise as transportation
In the same way that you can get some activity by run- or bike-commuting to work, there’s no reason older kids can’t walk or bike to school, or to see their friends. Make sure your kids have access to the basic equipment they’ll need – a bike with a good lock, a helmet and a pair of sneakers. (Online equipment-sharing sites and Facebook groups might be good resources.) Ensure that the kids have a safe route to wherever they’re heading and encourage them to get out.
The ParticipAction report ends with a bottom-line message that pretty much says it all: “It’s time to make physical activity a family priority and lead by example. If being active is second nature for adults, it will, in turn, become second nature for our children, too.”
Kevin Mackinnon, the founding editor of Triathlon Magazine Canada, has been a senior editor at Canadian Running since its inception. A former professional triathlete, Mackinnon works in the endurance industry as a coach, race announcer, editor, writer and photographer.