Kids today live such sedentary lives, right? It’s hard for them to get the required 60 minutes of activity daily. Are you considering getting a fitness tracker for your child? Fitness trackers are effective and trendy. These devices help kids to stay active and this boosts there health. If you encourage your child to engage in physical activity, the rising number of obese children will reduce. The wearable technology motivates kids to stay active. If you bought your kid a fitness tracker or planning to buy one, the following tips will help kids get the most from the devices.
1. Readiness
Make sure your child is physically and mentally ready. Just because your child is walking doesn’t mean they’re ready. Readiness means both physical and mental preparation. Explain to your kid why they need to stay active. Wait until your child is old enough to get the point. Then, you can start recording their steps. The best time you can introduce a fitness tracker for kids is when they are in first grade. They are old enough and they can begin to track their movement.
2. Choose a device that best suits your kid
There are so many fitness trackers for both adults and kids. Through their goal might be one, they differ when it comes to features and other specifications. A fitness tracker for a kid should be specifically made for them. It is advisable to seek the opinion of an expert to get your best option. Kids’ fitness trackers are easier for the kids to understand and use. Where possible, customize it to suit their likes. You can get a SpongeBob or Barbie themed band if that’s what your kid likes.
3. Be patient with the steps
You should not expect big performance at the beginning. In kindergarten and first grade, kids are too young to understand big numbers. Setting a goal of 10000 steps a day may be overwhelming. So, remind them of the little ways they can use to reach the goal of 60 minutes of activity. You may recommend dancing, playing basketball or simply running around the backyard. By doing this, you will encourage the kid to remain more active even when at school.
4. Make it fun
You need to ensure that the whole idea of tracking your fitness is fun and not a chore. At the beginning, kids may not show a lot of interest on the devices. Once they get used to their devices, keep them interested. One of the best ways in which you can make it fun is setting a challenge and try to beat it. You may offer presents or even track everyone’s progress through a smartphone app. whatever you do, just make sure you keep things exciting. The kids will love you for it.
5. Set individual targets for each child
If you have more than one kid, it is not advisable to set the same goals for the kids. Some kids are active than others and so should be their goals. Since each one of your kids is different, it’s only fair to set separate goals. It would be unfair to set similar goals for a 5-year old and a 10-year old. Keep this in mind to avoid demoralizing the younger kids. If each child has their own goals, they will be motivated to remain active.
6. Make it a family affair
The best way you can enable your kid to get the most from a fitness tracker is leading by example. If you want your kids to track more moves, then you have to do it too. Set aside some time to move together. Apart from giving you the ooh so special time to bond, it’s also fun and effective. You could take a walk together, play tennis or just run around with the kids
7. Encourage them every day
Always set aside to talk about their activities of the day. You could also offer suggestions on what they can do differently the next day. If, for example, they have only had 40 minutes of exercise on that day, you can suggest taking a 20-minute break to play together. This is a healthy way to ensure kids stay active and physically fit from a young age.
Final Words
In the current world with advancements in technology, most kids spend their time indoors playing games on their devices. It is also great if you encourage kids to engage in physical activity. To keep them motivated, you can choose the best fitness trackers for kids. With more than a third of children being overweight or obese, fitness trackers are definitely part of the solution. If your child has a fitness tracker, take note of the above tips and your kid will enjoy using a fitness tracker.
