How to Get Your Non-Sports Kid Active and Healthy

healthy kidsThe opinions in this article are my own. I do not work for, or with, any brand mentioned in this article, nor do I have any official relationship with them. I have a relationship with GigaSavvy, for whom I create original editorial content.

My boys aren’t the most sports-oriented kids around. Sure they can go at it full force with the next kid if you’re talking about Super Mario Sluggers or any other type of Wii Sports games. But actual team sports? Not so much.

Ryan just started little league for the first time this year, so we’ll see how that goes. But for kids who love sitting around playing video games and watching YouTube all day, it’s even more important to get them up and moving.

Being active is a huge part of being healthy. There are plenty of resources and companies out there to make sure you and your kids stay healthy, such as Molina Healthcare. But there’s also plenty of things I can do as a parent to keep my boys healthy as well.

Making sure my kids eat right is important but exercise is real crucial too. So for you parents out there with non-sports-enthused kids, here are a few tips to consider to get your boys or girls up and about!

Try Individual Sports – If team sports aren’t right for your kids (maybe it’s all that waiting around?), look into more individualized sports like tennis, golf, or even swimming. My kids have been taking tennis and swimming lessons the past few years and love it. Try lessons or just grab some balls and racquets and hit the local school courts for a friendly game.

Neighborhood Walks – Now that the weather’s warming up (except for the still occasional snow!), my wife and I love heading out for a neighborhood walk with the kids. Great way to get some fresh air and fun conversation, all mixed in with family time and some exercise to boot!

Take a Hike – Allie and I love hiking and we happen to live in a an area with tons of fantastic trails. The kids love seeing all the different landmarks and animals in the wild, as well as following the trail blazes from tree to tree.

Geocaching – Okay, this one is more of a GPS treasure hunt, but it’s yet another way to get kids out in nature, walking around without even realizing they’re getting some exercise in.

Bike Rides – When I was a kid, I used to ride my bike everywhere. It’s just so much fun and really great exercise too. Jason’s pretty solid at riding now, but Ryan’s still trying to master his a bit. Once he does, Allie and I can’t wait to take the whole family to some local parks for long family rides!

How do you keep your kids active?

9 thoughts on “How to Get Your Non-Sports Kid Active and Healthy”

  1. When I was growing up, my sister and I lived on our bikes. As a family we went camping and hiking and swimming. I still swim 3 times a week.

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  2. I find that my two kids fair better with more individualized sports. Although my son plays basketball, he excels at Tae Kwon Do and Ju Jitsu. I think you have to let them explore different sports to find a good fit.

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  3. Great tips! I have one daughter that is very into physical activity and another who is like me, who doesn’t really like it at all lol

    I take my grandkids to the beach for walks all year long and they love it!

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  4. my grandsons like to walk to the park with me,,and we do bubbles outside and chalk on the sidewalk,,,plant flowers and vegetables that keeps them moving

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  5. Tennis is an amazing sport. It’s such a good workout and it’s great for children that don’t have a lot of patience and don’t want to stand around waiting for their turn like you see in team sports. My daughters played tennis tournaments growing up and it taught them so much. It’s a great life time sport.

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  6. Very good tips and I think some kids just arent cut out for team sports. Swimming is a good one as is track- both involve a team, but are more individual than say basketball or football. Family things are also great as kids tend to imitate and walking is a great way to get out and if you have a dog its even better!

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  7. These are Great tips! My kids are the most athletic either. We love to go Geocaching! It makes for a great family activity and it also gets the kids outside. What I also like is that it gets the kids thinking. They are always trying to find great spots to hide things. We love it!

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