5 activities every child must do to become unstoppable

Children become what you teach them to be. Fitness from a tender age is an essential lesson you can inculcate in your child. With issues like child obesity and orthopedic problems becoming more common these days, primarily because of very sedentary lifestyles and lack of proper diet, It is important to adopt regular physical activities for a child. This will help them develop into healthy individuals with strong growth.Here are 5 crucial activities that every child must engage regularly to maintain a healthy weight, build strong bones and become unstoppable:

Running and jogging are simple exercises that increase the ability in the cardiovascular category while burning off extra calories to avoid being fat. These exercises also develop muscles on the lower part of the body consisting of the calf muscles, quadriceps, and hamstrings. Running also gives a child increased endurance and stamina. If a child runs, they can play a game of tag or try running races against their friends.


According to Dr. Neeraj Gupta, Consultant - Paediatric Orthopaedic, Manipal Hospital, Ghaziabad, “Swimming is an excellent full-body exercise that minimizes the stress on the joints while providing excellent cardiovascular exercises. It can help build muscle strength for the shoulders, arms, and legs, with the improvement of lung capacity. It is an ideal activity for most orthopedically limited children who suffer from problems in the joints such as pain or stiffness, since the buoyancy of water supports the body and minimizes impact.”

Cycles are very good exercises of the legs that are low impact yet require one to have so much fun in the process. Riding bicycles within the neighborhood or going to school can all be a cycle as it makes cycling such an easy activity to adopt as part of daily routine for any given child. Cycling is good for the development of balance and coordination; hence it is an essential activity for children in their early stages of development.


According to Kushal Pal Singh, Fitness and Performance Expert at Anytime Fitness, “Jumping rope or trampoline exercises are high-energy activities, engaging multiple muscle groups and enhancing coordination and bone density. They are therefore of critical value to strengthen the lower extremities, enhance bone development, and reduce the chance for orthopedic issues like fractures or misalignments. Jumping also supports cardiovascular health and assists in fighting weight gain.”


Besides providing physical exercise, team sports like football, cricket or basketball teach teamwork, discipline, and coordination. Along with that, the running, jumping, and quick directional changes also improve agility in general and contribute to building strength for both upper and lower body sections. As a result of these factors, team sports promote constant physical activity, which tends to make it easier for the children to maintain their healthy weight and reduce possibilities of obesity-related orthopedic problems.
Such activities, should be part of a child's routine, can prove to greatly reduce the chances of childhood obesity and orthopedic problems while creating a far healthier and more active lifestyle for a child.