Prevent Childhood Obesity with Preschool Fitness

Obesity among children in the United States has tripled in the last 20 years. Obesity causes social problems for children and often leads to diabetes, heart disease, and musculoskeletal problems in adulthood. Preschool fitness is one way to help prevent childhood obesity and improve children's health.

By age three, most children can go up and down stairs by alternating their feet, throw overhand, and jump in place. Most four-year-olds can catch a bounced ball, pedal a tricycle, and jump with a running start. By five, most children can skip, leading with one foot; roll like a log; and pump their legs on a swing.

Physical education activities like running and playing tag help young children stay physically fit. Family activities like walking, sledding, and biking help children enjoy exercise.

Parents can take other steps to make sure their preschoolers learn about and practice fitness activities:

* Give children at least 60 minutes a day for active free play. Let them run, climb, throw, dig, jump, and pedal until they are tired. Riding toys, balls, and swing sets can help them stay active. Toys should be age-appropriate, for example, a fat bat and wiffle ball instead of a hard wood bat and ball.

* Plan at least 60 minutes of structured physical activity each day. Teach children dance and game-playing skills. Enroll them in yoga classes for tots, swimming classes, or gymnastics classes. Classes should focus on having fun and building skills, not on winning or losing. (Organized sports are better suited to older children.)

* Children learn both gross and fine motor skills at preschool age. They need help learning to coordinate their movements. Parents can help by encouraging them and providing constructive feedback.

* Strictly limit TV and computer use. Experts say preschool children should not sit in one place or lie down for more than an hour at a time, except when they are sleeping.

* Read books about people who are physically active, like mountain climbers, hikers, farmers, dancers, and athletes.

* Parent should set good examples by making exercise and fitness regular parts of their lives.

Preschool exercises that help build gross motor skills (large muscles) include swimming, marching, hopping, balancing, pulling or pushing wagons, and throwing and catching soft balls. Classic kids' games like Follow the Leader, Red Light/Green Light, and Simon Says also help build gross motor skills, as do building and playing with obstacle courses.

To develop fine motor skills (small muscles) preschoolers can take clothes on and off dolls, lace cards, string beads, art projects, play in sand, or do puppet shows. Finger plays like Itsy Bitsy Spider are also good for building fine motor skills.

It may seem that children learn how to use and coordinate their bodies all on their own, but teachers and parents can definitely help. Preschool fitness activities help children develop skills and habits that they can use throughout their lives to stay healthy, fit, and mentally alert. Besides, it's so much fun to play with young children and watch them play with each other.