Hi Boox Popular Magazine 2024
Convincing kids to do something is never easy, but you must encourage your child to run. Do not push your kid. Instead, try other methods to grow their interest in running.
Running is the mother of all exercise, which keeps your child fit and healthy. Also, it plays a big part in their growing stage. Researchers have also found that running keeps your child more agile and happy in their adolescence.
The first and foremost benefit of running is it cuts obesity and does not allow fat to pile on your body. A study in the USA found that only 4% of children from 2 to 19 years of age had obesity in 1999, but the number increased by up to 18.5% in 2016.
Running regularly also cuts the chances of getting diabetes. Running is a habit, and that habit builds stronger bones and muscles if routinely practiced.
When your kid gets interested in running, it builds more confidence in him. The kid grows to be more athletic, and there is more possibility to achieve excellent performance in sports.
Tips to Make Running Interesting to Kids
Running can be fun for kids if you follow the tips below. Let’s find how to make running more attractive to your kids.
1. Start with Walking
If your kid is a couch potato, start with walking. Practice walking with your kids in the playground or somewhere else that grabs his interest. You can tell some stories like fairy tales or horrific Ghost Rider while walking, which can make kids more interested in walking.
Make sure that you don’t walk too long; otherwise, it can tire out your kids. Also, plain surfaces are best for walking. There are the least chances of injuries, and the kid can enjoy the rhythm of walking.
2. Buy A Pair of Running Shoes
Buy a good pair of running shoes for him. This will grow his interest in running. Make sure the shoes offer shock absorbers and upper mesh for airflow and cooling.
Avoid shoes that have stiffness in the heel and overlays. Also, light shoes are the best for running. Shoes like ASICS Gel Contend 3 can be the perfect package for running. For more information, read more about running shoes at the provided link.
3. Set a Goal
Setting goals for running can stimulate motivation. Kids generally love to chase a target and accomplish a goal. This target can be a quarter-mile or 100-meter race for your child. If they succeed at goals, then reward him with prizes.
This reward could be chocolates, toys, or even an outing on holiday. Do not bluff them with bad hopes. This can ruin their motivation. On the other hand, giving rewards motivates the kid for an extra mile. Do not set unachievable targets.
4. Give Your Kid a Competitor
Spark a bit of competition to his running. Add one or two competitors to challenge your kids. This competitor can be another kid or any relative who gives the kid the feeling of competition. Also, encourage your kids to participate in a running competition. This could be at school or an outdoor event.
5. Ignore the Numbers
Ignore the numbers for your kids. They are new and just started their journey, so don’t be harsh on their names. Do not push hard on his pace or distance covered. Make sure whether the kid is enjoying running or not.
You can try the classic run-walk-run method to make your kid more adaptable to the situation. Always jog on a flat surface to feel the sensation of running. Once they are accustomed to flat surfaces, then try inclined surfaces. This may catch their breath, but proper techniques and intermittent breaks could help them to overcome the hurdle.
6. Make It Fun
It’s not that your kid will join the Olympics in just two days. Allow him to enjoy it from the beginning. Take him to the playground and make him run with different age groups. Change the location to bring more excitement to your kid. You can also bring your pet to run with your kid. That is a lot more fun in the field.
7. Limit TV and Computer Use
Most kids are addicted to watching TV and computers. Cartoons for long hours on TV to Vice City on the computer all have big impacts on a child’s psychology. Continuing these habits can slowly turn him into a couch potato. Also, they become robotic and more detached.
Spending more time with electronics emits more radiation to kids. That can have a bad impact through long term exposure. Besides, less physical activity fades the chances of proper growth. Lack of physical stamina and chances of diabetes all are possible when kids are focused on electronic media.
8. Set a Role Model
Kids love to follow their parents in many aspects. You can be your child’s role model. A trainer or a coach to guide him to the right pathway for running. Other than that, you can also introduce some sprinting superheroes like Usain Bolt or Yohan Blake. Buy him a poster and play a few Olympic videos for added interest.
9. Play sports that require Running
Introduce your kids to sports that require running. It can be football, hockey, rugby, or any outdoor sports where running is a must. Integrating other sports with running will win him over to sports as well.
To make it more effective, encourage your kid to join sports events at school. This can integrate running habits to a new extent. Kids have a tendency to share their school day experiences. Give time to your kids and listen to his stories. Afterward, advise your kid on how they can perform better.
10. Make a Plan
It may not be possible to run everyday with kids, so make plans for running. It can be a weekly or even monthly plan. Make sure the plan sounds balanced to kids. Set some targets and try to accomplish that goal.
Running itself is an international sport and an excellent way to keep yourself fit throughout a lifetime. If you can integrate this habit into your child, this can be a great bonus for the rest of his life, so try the above-listed tips and work your way fitness!!!
