Ask the County 4-H Agent: How can I get my children up and moving?
By Kelly Zern, 4-H Youth Development Agent, UGA Extension Coweta County
Over the past several months your children have been at home and their daily routines may look dramatically different. Their screen time likely increased as learning became virtual, and they were not able to participate in daily recess, physical education classes, and spring recreational sports.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), children ages 6-17 should get at least 60 minutes of activity per day. How can we encourage physical activity and get our children moving? The answer according to the Eat Healthy, Be Active initiative through the UGA College Family and Consumer Sciences is getting the whole family involved! They recommend:
- incorporating activity into daily routines,
- modeling an active lifestyle for your children,
- establishing a regular schedule,
- encouraging age-appropriate activities, and
- making physical activity fun!
No matter what activities you choose to get moving, the CDC recommends that children get in several types of physical fitness including aerobic, muscle strengthening, and bone strengthening. Below are some exercise ideas that fall under each type. The best part is they do not take expensive equipment or lots of preparation!
Aerobic
- Bicycle Riding
- Brisk Walking
- Swimming
- Dancing
Muscle Strengthening
- Yoga
- Climbing on playground equipment
- Games like Tug of War
Bone Strengthening
- Jumping rope
- Running
- Hopping, skipping, jumping
Georgia 4-H promotes healthy living through state and local programming. In Coweta County, we provide a wide array of year-long programs and opportunities for youth to learn about nutrition, health and fitness, safety, and stress management. To find out more about our local programs, check out our website at extension.uga.edu/county-offices/Coweta.html, or find us on Facebook at Coweta County 4-H UGA Extension.
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Kelly Zern is the Coweta County 4-H Youth Development Agent. Her role includes overseeing all 4-H programming in the county including specialty clubs, Shooting Awareness, Fun and Education (S.A.F.E.) teams, volunteers, schools clubs, and other 4-H programs and events. It is through her leadership and collaborations with community leaders, that she is able to achieve Georgia 4-H’s mission to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills, and forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive, and contributing members of society.
