By Cary Aspinwall, Tulsa World, Okla.
Jul. 13–Some kids spend all summer outdoors, playing tag or baseball, riding bikes and swimming.
Others become summer slugs, watching junk on TV, surfing the afternoon away on the Internet or playing hours of video games — and in Oklahoma’s uphill battle against childhood obesity, that’s bad news.
Health experts say childhood obesity rates in Oklahoma have more than doubled in the past 20 years. The Oklahoma Fit Kids Coalition reports that one-third of the state’s children are obese, overweight or at risk for either.
Obesity during childhood also increases the risk of being obese or overweight as an adult, so there’s no time like the present to get kids exercising more.
Catherine Hendrix, fitness director at the Daily Family YMCA in Bixby, said she’s added several classes targeted toward children in recent years to make it easier for families to work out together.
“My goal is to help kids find something they enjoy doing so they will continue exercising as they get older,” she said.
Amy Randolph’s 13-year-old daughter, Amber, has lost several pounds and become more active as a result of attending kids’ hip-hop and
Zumba classes with her mom at the Daily YMCA. Amber is no longer a borderline type 2 diabetic as a result of her fitness routines and healthier eating, Randolph said.
“It’s been really good for her and has helped her self-esteem,” Randolph said.
Even if your kids aren’t interested in sports or traditional summer activities such as bike riding or swimming, there are plenty of ways to get them off the couch and into a more active routine, Hendrix said.
1. STAY CLASSY
Competitive sports keep many kids active, but not every child loves playing sports or team competition. Local YMCA branches and community centers often offer classes geared toward kids and teens such as Kids’ Kardio and Hip-Hop Dance at the Daily Family YMCA in Bixby. Yoga is another great alternative for kids — it lets them work at their pace and ability and helps build balance and stability. Tulsa Parks & Recreation offers special summer classes in break dance, belly dancing, African and Irish dance and more, all geared toward ‘tweens and teens.
Hip Hop for Kids, 11:15 a.m. Wednesdays at the Daily Family YMCA in Bixby, 7910 E. 134th St. 396-9622.
Other YMCA locations: tulsaworld.com/ymcatulsa
For information on Tulsa Parks & Recreation programs, call 596-7275 or visit tulsaworld.com/parksfunguide.
2. TV = PERSONAL TRAINER
Perhaps because they recognize how much time kids spend in front of a TV these days, there’s a growing market of exercise DVDs marketed toward teens and younger children, including Gaiam’s Yoga Kids DVD series targeted for children ages 3 to 6, and videos such as “65 Energy Blasts” ($20, Toys R Us) offer fun ways to get kids moving in their own living rooms. If you’ve got a teen who’s a fan of TV shows such as “The Biggest Loser” or “Dancing with the Stars,” try one of the workout DVDs associated with those series to pique their interest in exercising.
For the ultimate couch potato or video-game junkie, parents may want to consider investing in Nintendo’s Wii Fit set, an innovative way to get kids moving and exercising with a video game console and special equipment that can be purchased and used with the Wii for cardio, yoga, strength training and balance exercises. The Wii console with the Fit board, programs and equipment can cost more than $500 altogether, so this isn’t a cheap solution. But if your kids are video-game junkies, this may be the get-off-the-couch solution you’re seeking.
3. TOYS FOR FITNESS (AND FUN)
For younger children, making fitness into playtime or a fun game is probably the easiest way to get them active.
R & R Games “Hide & Seek Safari Tiger” (about $25, Amazon.com) has won multiple awards for making hide-and-seek fun and active. One person hides the tiger indoors or outside, and then kids use the “seeker” wand to track down the hidden tiger. The wand lights up and beeps as the kids get closer, making this a fun adventure game (and sneaky exercise tool) for kids ages 5 to 12. There are also monkey and dinosaur versions.
Wild Planet Hyper Dash ($20, Target stores) is high-tech, all-ages tag, with an electronic tagger that plays prerecorded music and calls out which of the multicolored, numbered targets you need to strike. It tracks the amount of time taken to complete each course, using radio frequency identification to recognize the targets, which can be set up side-by-side or spread across the length of a football field. The farther you spread the targets, the more exercise kids will get. It can be played indoors or outdoors, solo, in pairs or in teams.
Playskool Tag Tails Zoo Chase ($16, Wal-Mart stores)
These playful breakaway animal tails are a way to dress up the classic game of tag and chase, geared for kids ages 3 and older.
4. BACKYARD INGENUITY
Want to get your kids outside? Set up a backyard obstacle course
with some of the toys, jump ropes and extra (nonsharp) gardening equipment and lawn chairs that take up space in your garage. Overturned planters can become cones to run around, and bags of gardening soil or pieces of edging can be used as mini-hurdles. Grab a digital watch or kitchen timer and time each of your young Olympians as they compete on the course.
Or try organizing a neighborhood nature hike or scavenger hunt with other parents. Print lists (with pictures) of flowers, plants and trees for kids to locate in your neighborhood and send them on a mission combining science and fitness. For the scavenger hunt, get together with a group of parents and ask other neighbors you know to let the kids on your block knock on doors and collect items for a scavenger hunt. They can even collect items for charity or recycling, to add philanthropy to their activity.
Cary Aspinwall 581-8477 [email protected]
— Move more. Try to get between 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Several 10- to 15-minute sessions of moderate activity each day add up.
— Include regular physical activity into your routine. Walk as a family before or after meals.
— Limit TV, computer and video game time to a total of one to two hours per day. Encourage physical activity instead.
— Balance energy calories with activity calories. The energy you get from the foods and beverages should equal the calories you burn in activity every day.
— Increase household activities (e.g., walking the dog, dusting, vacuuming, gardening). These activities are good ways to burn calories.
— Include an activity like hiking or bike riding when you go on vacation.
— Make playtime with your family more active by shooting hoops or walking to the park.
Source: American Academy of Family Physicians
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