It is always necessary to begin physical exercises with some warm-up, as it helps to prepare the body for a more intense workout. The following steps will help you understand the benefits of warm-up exercises for kids.
#. Slowly increases the heart rate
#. The increase in heart rate leads to an increase in body temperature.
#. Improves blood circulation that keeps the body warm
#. The blood flow oxygenates the muscles and prepares them for more intense exercise.
From the above steps, you may have understood that exercising without a warm-up activity can cause injuries and strains to the cool and unprepared muscles of the body. Therefore, it is necessary to follow some warm-up exercises for your kids. But how can you make warm-up exercises fun for your kids? Let’s find out.
#1. Jumping Jacks
Warm-up for kids mostly begins with some jumping jacks. It is a fun exercise that needs no fancy equipment but just a pair of sports shoes. Take a look at how jumping jumps can be one of the best warm-up exercises for kids.
Benefits
#. Jumping jack is a dynamic exercise; it involves full-body movements, and therefore it helps in warming the body faster.
#. As it involves lots of muscle movement, jumping jacks help in building muscle strength.
#. Jumping jacks help in elevating heart rate quickly. When your heart rate increases during exercises, your heart stays healthy. However, keep in mind the average heart rate is usually 100 beats per minute for young adults and kids over 10.
#. Helps in the strengthening of bones.
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How to do it?
#. First, make your kid stand straight with legs joined at the feet and arms staying by the sides.
#. Then, the step involves a jump where the kid needs to spread the legs making them shoulder-width apart.
#. The arms should be over the head and stretched completely.
#. In this way, the child jumps back to the position
#. Initially, practice with three sets of 10 jumps each and then move on to sets of 15 or 20 jumps.
#2. Arm and Shoulder Stretch
Every exercise requires flexibility, and to acquire this flexibility, kids need to prepare their body parts through some warm-up exercises. The arm and shoulder stretch is one of the warm-ups that help kids to increase their flexibility during the exercises.
Benefits
#. Increases flexibility of shoulder muscles.
#. Improves the range of movements of the arm and shoulder
#. Reduces stress and tension
#. Improves posture
#. Improves blood circulation
How to do It?
#. Ask your child to stand straight and raise one arm over the head.
#. The next step is to slightly bend the elbow to place the palm in between the shoulder blades.
#. Now, let the kid fold the other arm behind the back with their elbow down and hand pointed above.
#. Let the kids try to pull the hands so that the fingers of both arms can touch. Make the kid hold the position for a few seconds and then repeat the same steps with the other hand.
#. Remember not to force the pull as it may hurt the kid, be patient and let the kids try on their own for a few days.
#3. Butterfly Stretch
A butterfly stretch is an exciting exercise for kids as they are asked to flutter their thighs like a butterfly’s wings. This exercise involves the continuous movement of thighs that ultimately helps in the toning and strengthening of the thigh muscles.
Yoga shirts and pants along with a yoga mat are the only requirements for this exercise. It does not really require a pair of shoes and can be done barefoot or with a pair of socks.
Benefits
#. Improves flexibility of the inner thigh muscles, which are used to draw our legs together
#. Helps in maintaining stability and balance
#. Helps the hip muscle to open up, which can become tight due to lack of movement.
How to do It?
#. Ask the kid to sit down, holding both the feet with the hands.
#. Then, the kid has to slowly start moving the thighs up and down, just like the fluttering of the butterfly wings.
#. Then, continue with 10 sets.
Fun Warm-Up Games for Kids: Activities as Warm-up for Kids
Several basic activities can be counted as warm-up activities for your kid. From dancing to a random group game, kids can be doing warm-up exercises without even realising. Following some fun, warm-up games for kids can help you offer them an environment where physical exercises are no more boring and difficult but engaging and fun.
#1. Dancing
Yes, dancing can be one of the warm-up activities for kids. It helps the body turn warm faster and also lifts up the mood. Dancing has a positive effect on the body and the mind. Get your kids to wear something comfortable and follow the steps given below:
#. Dancing can be a fun group activity, you can involve yourself and other family members or just the friends of your kids.
#. Make a playlist of popular dancing songs and ask your child’s choices
#. Try to be a mirror for your kid, as following you the child may perform jumping jacks and other exercises in between the dancing.
#2. Mirroring
Warm-up for kids can be made fun of when there is a group activity involved; mirroring is a fun game to perform exercises. It is a two-member game in which the kids take turns to mirror the actions of each other. Let’s see how it works.
#. Make a team of two kids and then set a time limit of 2 minutes.
#. Ask one of the kids in the team to perform activities like arm and shoulder stretch or any simple stretching exercise.
#. The other kid has to repeat or mirror the movements at the same time.
#. After 2 minutes, set another 2-minute span for the reversal. Now it is the other kid’s turn to mirror the actions.
#3. Red Light, Green Light
For this game, you are required to follow a set of instructions:
“Greenlight” – instructs children to walk faster
“Yellow light”- instructs children to walk slower
“Red light”- instructs children to stop
These instructions will involve children in a group activity that is fun and engaging as a physical exercise. To organise this group activity, follow the steps below:
#. Bring all the kids in a row and make them understand the instructions given above.
#. Start giving the instructions as per your preference; make sure to move faster with the instructions as the game proceeds.
#. Keep repeating the instruction for a set period.
Conclusion
It is really important to make physical exercises a regular activity in your child’s daily routine. Building a habit of exercise from an early age can offer kids various long-term health benefits. But instead of forcing exercises on them, kids can be adapted to regular exercises through various games and group activities. For more blogs, visit The Real School Of Montessori The Real School Of Montessori is a unique virtual learning platform that believes in the holistic development of children. Their innovative teaching methods and fun-filled student engagement programs make learning an enjoyable experience.
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