 Keep
fit for kids
Worried that your child's not getting enough exercise?
We look at different ways of getting them up and about and talk
to cricketer and Strictly Come Dancing winner Darren Gough about why dancing
is the grooviest exercise around.
Tried and tested activities:
Fat chance
With over one million obese children under the age of 16, Britain has
become one of the fattest European nations. Not only does being overweight
increase the risk of health problems such as asthma, diabetes and even
cancer, but it also can cause emotional distress in terms of teasing by
other children, which could lead to further eating disorders.
There are two very obvious and simple reasons why children are becoming
more obese: the first is that they are eating too much of the wrong kind
of food; the second is that they are not getting enough exercise, choosing
sedentary activities such as watching TV or playing computer games instead.
Children under five are naturally quite active beings and should be easy
to persuade to take some form of exercise.
The great news too is that you don't need to spend a fortune to ensure
they get it. Walking to the park, skipping, swimming at the local pool,
or running around with a football gets their bodies going and they'll
love doing it too!
Happy feet
Another great form of exercise is dancing and, with the long, dark, winter
nights, it can be your best bet at the moment to get your children moving
about. Persil Non-Bio has been running an advertising campaign, coinciding
with the launch of the animated film Happy Feet , to get 3.5 million
preschools to get dancing, with the help of England cricketer and
Strictly Come Dancing winner Darren Gough. "Before Strictly Come
Dancing, I was never into dancing at all," Darren reveals. "I always
felt a bit embarrassed! But since then I really enjoy it, it's great fun
and I do it with my boys now. It's such an easy way for parents to have
fun with their little ones, and keep them active.
My message to parents would be just throw yourself into dancing and enjoy
it with your kids. It's not only fun, it's great for their development
and creativity!" If you're reading this thinking that you'll need to teach
your little ones the quick step or paso doble to have any success, think
again. "A great way to get your little ones dancing is to just put some
of their favourite music on and start dancing yourself, encouraging them
to join in," advises Darren. "My favourite song would be Night to
Remember by Shalamar."
Dance expert Lara Robinson, who is also involved in the campaign, agrees
with Darren, adding, "Mimicry is a great way for kids to learn and it
will make them feel more confident to try it themselves. Start off with
some gentle moves and then as they grow in confidence, you can start to
boogie! Dancing is a fun way to start being creative with your kids at
an early age; it's good for their development, creativity, confidence
and social skills now and in the future. Oh, and my favourite track would
be Rio by Duran Duran!"
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