Kids having fun along the 100PLUS Promenade.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE SPORTS HUB
Exercise is the cornerstone of our physical and mental health, and how inclined we are to exercise depends on our childhood memories and impressions of exercise. Introducing our kids to competitive sports is very important too, as sports can teach us an array of values and life lessons. The development of qualities like resilience, problem solving, teamwork and kindness are all encouraged by sports. This is why introducing our little ones to sports and exercise is one of the best things we can do for them. Here to Play asked some employees of Singapore Sports Hub for tips on how they get their kids moving.
Exercise is the cornerstone of our physical and mental health, and how inclined we are to exercise depends on our childhood memories and impressions of exercise. Introducing our kids to competitive sports is very important too, as sports can teach us an array of values and life lessons. The development of qualities like resilience, problem solving, teamwork and kindness are all encouraged by sports. This is why introducing our little ones to sports and exercise is one of the best things we can do for them. Here to Play asked some employees of Singapore Sports Hub for tips on how they get their kids moving.
Tip #1: Make exercise fun and rewarding
Kids just wanna have fun! So incentivise their workout sessions.
Derrick Sim, Manager, Venue Operations – National Stadium, suggests making exercise not feel mundane for kids.
“Make exercise not feel like exercise at all. It’s also important for children to feel like exercise is an achievement, as compared to just a workout. For example, instead of just asking them to run, make it like a race or a game,” he shares.
Derrick notes that encouraging words and creating fun challenges are very effective too. Instead of getting his children to jump a certain number of times, for example, he instead challenges them to jump more than 10 times.
Derrick likes inventing innovative activities for his children, such as racing to the playground, and games where they have to keep a balloon in the air using a racquet.
Tip #2: Include your kids in your own workouts
Family bonding sessions can be opportunities for exercise, where the family learns, explores and has fun together.
Shana Saravanan, Executive, Venue Operations – OCBC Arena, shares that she often brings her children cycling or on short walks around her estate. Besides including them on easy-to-plan adventures, she sometimes teaches them basic exercises like jumping jacks, push ups, squats and planks.
“I get them to join me when I do my home workouts. They do participate for a while, but definitely not all the way through. These workouts keep them entertained for a while, but most of the time, they are just trying to climb on my back for ‘elephant rides’,” she says.
Tip #3: Check out free guided exercises
The Internet burgeons with free resources that parents can use to keep their children engaged and moving.
For Shana and family, exercise can take the form of dancing and following the actions of free online videos.
She elaborates: “I screen YouTube fitness dance videos on my TV and we dance together. This is a great way of draining their energy. I really don’t know where they get all that energy from!”
Parents can tap on the diverse spread of resources available online, to continually introduce their children to healthy new activities.
Tip #4: Introduce them to a variety of experiences
Mitch Seeto, Senior Director, Venue and Event Operations, shares that it’s important to expose children to as many activities and sports as possible. His daughter currently attends extra-curricular activities like swimming and ballet lessons.
“Let your child have fun and enjoy each experience and process instead of focusing on winning,” he emphasises.
Keen on engaging his daughter in new experiences, Mitch also watched the recent Olympics and Paralympics with her. He shares that these were an eye opener for his daughter, as she was amazed by the ability of the athletes and the different types of sports featured at the Games.
Other exciting activities that he and his daughter enjoy together include catching, scootering, ball games, and mini running competitions, which also count as exercise.
Singapore Sports Hub conducts specialised programmes that can nurture a love for exercise and sports in your child.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE SPORTS HUB
If you would like to direct the seemingly limitless energy of your kids towards discovering new sports, check out the array of children’s programmes offered by Singapore Sports Hub, where children of the same age are grouped together and are taught new sports by experienced coaches.
The little ones will have a great time when they learn simple exercises and fun games during specialised programmes like the Basketball Academy, Netball Academy, Tots and Kinder Play and Learn-To-Play.
The programmes and activities, organised for children aged 12 years and below, are temporarily suspended until further notice, with the exception of Basketball Academy, which is only available for participants above 12 years of age. Visit Singapore Sports Hub’s website for more programme updates.