Fun Exercise Tips for Kids: Move Your Body and Stay Active

1. Let’s Have Fun!Louisiana on the Move for children Division of EducationPhillip Brantley, PhD, DirectorPennington Biomedical Research CenterClaude Bouchard, PhD, Executive Director Heli J. Roy, PhD, RD Beth Kalicki PBRC 2005

2. Move your body • What is exercise? Exercise is moving your arms and legs enough to make your heart beat hard and fast. • It gives you energy and keeps you healthy. • It’s important to stretch 5 – 10 minutes before exercise. • Make sure you stop, rest, and drink water if you start to feel dizzy or queasy or have any pain. • Keep your body cool by drinking lots of water while you exercise. PBRC 2005

3. Move your body, WARM UP • Stretching is a great way to warm up your muscles and loosen your joints to get your body ready to move around. • Make sure you have an adult nearby when you are warming up or exercising. Safety comes first! • Stretch 5 – 10 minutes before exercise so you don't hurt yourself. • Stretch slowly - only as far as you're comfortable. • Stretching should feel good, not hurt! • Hold stretch positions, and do not bounce. PBRC 2005

4. Stretching is great because you can do it alone or with a friend! Towel Stretch – stretches your midsection. Standing, hold a small towel in front of you. Raise your arms above your head. Slowly bend to the side without twisting. Hold. Be sure to keep your arms straight! Straighten up and repeat, toward the other side. PBRC 2009

5. Get on your hands and knees. Curve your back toward the ceiling, let your head hang loose, and hold. Next, push your chest toward the floor and let your back sag into a “U” shape. Bend your elbows. Lift your head and hold. Repeat. Stretching is great because you can do it alone! PBRC 2009

6. Stretching with a friend! Push and pull – stretches your arms and legs. Sit in a wide straddle facing each other and take each other's wrists. Slowly pull back and hold for a slow count of 30, then switch. Be sure to keep your knees straight! Make stretching fun! Turn on some music or play Simon Says with stretches! PBRC 2009

7. Did you know? • Did you know that many kids in the United States spend more time watching TV every year than they spend in school? PBRC 2009

8. These are some things you may not want to spend too much time on! Kids activity pyramid PBRC 2009

9. Stretching, warm-up, and cool down exercises are important to keep you from getting injured. Kids activity pyramid PBRC 2009

10. Take part in fun activities several times a week! Get together with friends and jump rope, play basketball, or kickball. Kids activity pyramid PBRC 2005

11. Think of fun things to do every day to move your body Kids activity pyramid PBRC 2005

12. Exercises you can do Turn on some music and dance! See how long you can hula hoop or jump rope. Set a timer and try to clean a room before it runs out. Do jumping jacks or sit-ups during TV commercials. Play basketball with rolled up socks and the clothes hamper, or throw paper wads in the trash can. PBRC 2005

13. Best aerobic activity • The game of TAG: you run very fast for very short periods of time, then rest, and go again. Other aerobic activities • Basketball • Biking • Bowling • Catch • Fishing • Football • Freeze tag • Frisbee • Hacky sack • Hiking • Hopscotch • Jump rope • Kickball • Softball • Swimming • Tag • T-ball • Trampoline • Running • Kite flying • Miniature golf • Ping Pong • Playing at the park • Rollerblading • Skipping rope PBRC 2009

14. With Other Kids • Dance to music • Play active games like catch or tag • Join a sports team at school, sports club, or the park PBRC 2005

15. With Family • Go on a walk together • Run and play outside or at the park • Turn the TV off for a day PBRC 2005

16. By Yourself • Dance to music • Do cartwheels, sit-ups, or jumping jacks • Walk or jog to a friend’s house • Practice basketball PBRC 2009

17. Have Fun! • Exercise Doesn’t Have to be Boring! • Playing games is a great way to get moving! • Here are some great games to try — when you’re with a group, when there’s two of you, or when you’re alone! PBRC 2005

18. TV Magic — Pull an exercise out of a hat! • Each player writes down an exercise, like jumping jacks, sit-ups, or push-ups on a piece of paper. • Fold the papers and put them in a hat. • While watching TV, each person picks an activity out of the hat. • During the TV ads, each player does his or her exercise until the ads are over. • When everyone is done, fold the papers and put them back into the hat. • Start over with the next ad! • Turn your favorite show into a workout! PBRC 2005

19. Exercise let’s you stay healthy! • When you exercise regularly, it helps your body fight off germs. • Exercise every day to keep sickness away! • Exercise can also help you do better in school! • Studies show that kids who play sports do better in school! PBRC 2005

20. Eating good food! PBRC 2009

21. Eating good food! PBRC 2005

22. Eating good food! Help in preparing food – you can see what food is made of! PBRC 2005

23. What is good food? • Healthy foods: • All fruits either cooked or raw • All vegetables either cooked or raw • Milk, yogurt, cheese, ice-cream • Meat, fish, and poultry • Whole grain cereal and bread PBRC 2005

24. Remember to make good choices! PBRC 2005

25. What would be a better choice? PBRC 2005

26. What would be your best choice? What kind of drink should you choose from a vending machine? How about a fruit juice, milk or water? That is the right choice! PBRC 2005

27. Can you think of some good eats? PBRC 2005

28. What to do from now on! Think about moving your body a little more each and every day! Think about eating good food and eating a little less sometimes! Remember to have fun! PBRC 2005

29. References • Sothern, M. Schumacher, H. & Von Almen, TK. Trim Kids: The Proven Plan that has Helped Thousands of Children Achieve a Healthier Weight, 2001, Harper Collins Publishers, New York, NY. • Sothern, M., and Gordon, S. Prevention of obesity in young children: A Critical Challenge for the Medical Professional, Clinical Pediatrics, 2003, 42:101-111. • Kosharek, S.M. If Your Child Is Overweight:A Guide For Parents. 2nd Ed. 2003, American Dietetic Association. • Center for Disease Control, Defining Overweight and Obesity. Accessed January 7, 2004, http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/defining.htm • Mullen, M.C., Shield, J. Childhood and Adolescent Overweight: The Health Professional’s Guide to Identification, Treatment, and Prevention. 2004, American Dietetic Association. • Healthy People 2010, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of Public Health and Science, Washington, DC. PBRC 2009

30. About Our Company… • The Pennington Biomedical Research Center is a world-renowned nutrition research center. • Mission: • To promote healthier lives through research and education in nutrition and preventive medicine. • The Pennington Center has several research areas, including: • Clinical Obesity Research • Experimental Obesity • Functional Foods • Health and Performance Enhancement • Nutrition and Chronic Diseases • Nutrition and the Brain • Dementia, Alzheimer’s and healthy aging • Diet, exercise, weight loss and weight loss maintenance • The research fostered in these areas can have a profound impact on healthy living and on the prevention of common chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypertension and osteoporosis. • The Division of Education provides education and information to the scientific community and the public about research findings, training programs and research areas, and coordinates educational events for the public on various health issues. • We invite people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in the exciting research studies being conducted at the Pennington  Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. If you would like to take part, visit the clinical trials web page at www.pbrc.edu or call (225) 763-3000. PBRC 2009 Edited : October 2009