Kids Fitness in Bay Area - My ideas to ensure well-being

It is rightly said, "Physical Fitness is the basis for all other forms of excellence." 

Every child is different and so is their ideas of having fun. But what is common to all these kids, is the requirement for a Fit and Healthy life! But, to engage a child in a physical activity is difficult, unless it is entertaining.

A baby learns through Play. For the first time when they turn their head, they see a huge world out there. They crawl for the first time and they discover how capable they are to explore on their own. When they walk for the first time they learn to move ahead and not to stop. So, for a baby, everything is new and exciting and any activity is amusing and discovering.

When a baby grows up, they get lured by the digital world. A Smartphone or a Tab or a Laptop or just a Television can keep them occupied for hours. I remember, as a child when I was growing up in a small town in India, we did not even have a Mobile Phone, forget about a tab or a laptop. We had a Television but there were very limited shows and the telecast timing was also restricted. So, my childhood was gadget free.

Honestly, I was never an adventurous kid. I never broke a bone or hurdled through the desks in school like many other kids. As far as I remember, I participated in a 100-meter race once and I was the last one to reach the finishing line. We used to have a PT (Physical Training) class in school. On one particular class, everyone had to try some Throws and then select any one of them to participate in the Sports Tournament, that year. I tried Javelin, then Shot Put and even Discus Throw and then my teacher told me to take a seat and some rest . Yeah well, the result was hilarious and I was excused to be mortified in front of the whole school. So yes, I was not into sports either. However, I was active. I used to walk with my dad or mom to the nearest market. I used to ride a bike to school. I learned Indian Classical Dance(Kathak).We used to play Tag in school. By night, I used to get exhausted and craved for some sleep.

Coming back to now, I still get exhausted at night and my soon-to-be-three-year-old daughter is all energized. I always look for some ideas to drive the little one's energy in the right direction. Here are my tried, tested, succeeded or failed options so far.

Park - The most popular choice among kids: My daughter too likes going to park. But, when the kids her age or even younger, climb, slide, jump or run around, she prefers to sit in a safe place and watch them. Sometimes, I lose temper and push her to give a try to the slides. But then, I realize that she got my genes after all. She still enjoys going to a park, occasionally kicks a ball or slides when she is convinced that no other kid will push her.

Dance - All time Hit: Be it Hip-Hop or a Ballet or just swirling around in a pretty dress, a dance can lift one's mood anywhere, anytime. At Sunnyvale Community Center, I got a couple of interesting classes for kids. The list is here and is extensive. I booked a Hip Hop dance class for her and she was super happy. Some music and tapping on the rhythm are sufficient to call it a dance.

Swim - A Summer Must-Have: Splashing and kicking in the water on a hot summer day is an absolute Bliss. Swimming is an essential skill that everyone should learn. I just love water and so is my child. When she was not even one year old, I took her to a warm swimming pool in a floater and she was super excited. After she turned two, I was looking for a swimming class for her. But here, the outdoor pool is cold throughout the year. So, I was looking for some indoor options and I got Daca Swim School. It is a perfect place for her. For the kids below 3 years of age, parents are allowed to get into the water. The Trainer is wonderful and my daughter just adores her. She sings she plays with the kids and she inspires the kids to swim - a perfect blend.

Animal Walk - Simple and Fun: A Bear walk or a Frog jump or a bunny hop, these exercises enhance the balance, core strength and agility. Top it up with some appropriate animal sounds and see the magic. For my kid, I booked a Gym class at Sunnyvale Community Center.On the first class, I realized it was not for her. The only exercise that she could do was the "animal walk" and she still does her penguin walk and tippy-toes walk that she learned from the class.

Race - Bond while screaming and giggling: A Bunny-Hop race, a Tippy-Toes race or a traditional run or a bike race is a fun way to build up their leg muscles and their stamina.

I am still looking for more amusing ideas to make Fitness as our lifestyle. Until then, I will stick to the usual ones like a walk with me or up and down on the stairs, splashing in the water. I will try not to hand her a mobile and miss out the fun of chasing a butterfly, or follow the trail of ants or watch a snail crawling.

Let me guide her to take the first step to Fitness and walk to a whole new bright future!

Posted in: MyBabyIdeas