Make Exercise a Family Affair. Your Kids Will Thank You.

While recommendations call for adults to exercise for 30 minutes a day, kids need double that amount — yes, 60 minutes of physical play a day.

And being active as a family can make it easier for kids to reach this goal.

For starters, make it a point to plan family outings that involve exercise, like going to a water park in summer and snow tubing in winter.

Closer to home, rediscover your local Y, which can make an activity like swimming a year-round option.

Between games, practices and competitions, participating in team sports provides kids with opportunities for exercise on numerous days of the week, but not every child wants to play soccer or basketball. Consider a sport like track and field, which offers a team aspect with an emphasis on individual skills.

If you’d like to learn more about local youth programs and possibly sign up to be a coach yourself, contact your local Boys & Girls Club or research options on the website of the National Council of Youth Sports at ncys.org

Need more ideas? Many professional sports organizations have programs designed to make kids more active:

• The National Football League’s “Play 60” at http://www.nfl.com/play60.
• Major League Baseball’s “Pitch, Hit and Run” at https://www.pitchhitrun.com.
• The National Hockey League’s “Learn to Play” at https://learntoplay.nhl.com.
• The National Basketball Association’s Jr.NBA at https://jr.nba.com.

And for a multitude of activities, check out active.com. There are many options that allow both kids and their parents ways to get involved and be active together.

More information

KidsHealth.org has great tips to help you choose the best sports activities for your child based on his or her personality.