Getting Kids Moving Can Be A Slam Dunk

Summary: Run, walk, jump, dance--do whatever it takes to get the whole family moving.

Run, walk, jump, dance-do whatever it takes to get the whole family moving. That's the advice parents are getting as the weight of the nation's children continues to climb. According to the Mayo Clinic, the rate of obesity in the U.S. has more than doubled for preschoolers and adolescents, and it has more than tripled for children ages 6 to 11 in the past 30 years. Fortunately, you don't need to get your child a personal trainer. Here are some tips to help: • Be a good example. Take a walk. Go for a swim. Sign up for a class. • Instead of always relying on the car, take walks with the kids, ride bikes. • Take the kids to the park . • Celebrate birthdays at parks, water parks, skating rinks and other active places. • On weekends and during vacations, introduce kids to fun activities. Go swimming, hiking, ride bikes, jump rope, play tag, kickball, catch, any activity that involves motion. • If it's raining outside, orga-nize a treasure hunt in the house, one that involves lots of running up and down stairs. • Get kids interested in playing sports. Take them to games, if possible. You can also use entertaining movies such as "Like Mike 2: Streetball," in which legendary, magical high-tops find their way into the eager young hands of a pint-size basketballer with a big ambition: to rise to the top of the fast, gritty, no-holds-barred world of high-stakes "Streetball." In this DVD, hoop dreams become a reality, as Jerome Jenkins Jr., or "Triple-J," earns the respect of his friends when the mysterious sneakers make him drive and dunk like the legendary Air Jordan. With hot streetball action and comedy, it's a feel-good movie that can get kids moving. • Be sure to keep an open mind if your daughter wants to play ice hockey and your son prefers dance. Children should do at least 30 minutes of exercise a day and 60 minutes if they want to lose weight. Regular exercise can help improve the quality of your children's lives now and later on. It can help prevent diseases such as heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes.