Keeping Kids Active This Summer

Experts say that kids need 60 minutes or more of physical activity a day. With childhood obesity on the rise, it’s even more important to keep our kids interested in sports. Keeping these tips in mind could help your children enjoy activity even more.

Let them lead the way.
    Kids stay active when it’s fun for them, so try to keep it that way. Don’t force them to do any activity that they’re not comfortable with. If your child would rather play tag than swim, do it. You’ll both be moving, and having a great time.

Mix it up a bit.
    Different sports are fun for different kids. Introducing your children to as many activities and sports as you can, will allow them to discover what they truly like.

Don’t keep score.
    Pushing kids to excel could lessen their interest in certain activities. Forget about the score, and let them invent their own goals. The true measure of a successful season for any child is whether they want to play next year.

    Remember to make sports a family affair. Your children will be more enthusiastic about physical activities if you lead by example. In the dog days of summer, try to devote an hour each evening to being active with your children. Turn off the television and have some quality fun!

Make reading fun - use personalized stories

Reading regularly from an early age has enormous benefits for a child throughout childhood and in later life: * Increased comfort with reading A comfortable reader is a confident reader. This means that the speed with which something can be read increases (useful for absorbing information, in exams, and also later on in the place of work), and the reader is also more likely to be confident and effective when reading aloud. (Presentations, the school play!) * Increased word power Coming in to contact with words more frequently means they are more likely to stick in the reader's mind, improving spelling. Reading often also enhances the chance of encountering new words, and therefore increases the range of the reader's vocabulary * Increased knowledge Whether reading for pleasure or for school, college or work, books help to broaden our horizons, increasing the general knowledge of the reader. So, how can we ensure that our children read, and read regularly? There is a simple thing to bear in mind to ensure a child wants to read - the child has to enjoy reading! And how is this achieved, I hear you say? For a child to enjoy reading, the subject matter must be one that they have some familiarity with and more importantly, that they are interested in. Now here's the real trick : There is nothing that interests any child more than themselves! Personalized stories will inspire the child to read and re-read a story, because this will be able to relate directly with the main character. (It is after all, themselves, usually taking part in some adventure akin to the kind of imaginary play the child would normally partake in.) Even if you are reading a story to an infant or toddler, the repetition of their name will generate interest and excitement in the story which will ensure that they enjoy reading the story themselves when they are older. There are many personalized stories available to buy over the Internet, ranging in price and quality. Because of the personalized nature of them, they make an ideal gift for special occasions such as birthday's and Christmas presents. Things that you should consider when looking to buy a personalized story book: - what level of personalization do you require? (Simply the child's name, or other details too i.e. friends, age etc.) - does the book promote a positive message? - how durable is the book? - what will it cost? (Don't forgot to factor in shipping costs!) - how long does it take to manufacture? (This can often be the more important factor, particularly if purchasing as a gift.)

Boost Your Child's Vision

Vision problems often run in families, but there are some factors that you can control in your child’s environment to help their eyesight. Try these tips to give your child’s vision a better chance.

Brighten things up.
Unfortunately, your mom was right: reading in dim light can wreak havoc on your eyes. Buy your child a good reading light, or make sure that homework is done in plenty of natural light.

Give them space.
Place a pillow about eight feet away from the TV, and tell your child they have to watch it from that distance. Sitting too close to a television leads to the same focus problems that your child can develop from using computers and video games.

Take breaks.
Experts agree that kids’ increased computer use can cause focus problems, particularly the ability to refocus on objects far away. Take note of how much time they spend in front of the computer, and make sure they take a ten-minute break every hour.

Buy shades.
Your child may not need glasses, but it’s a good idea to buy them sunglasses. UV exposure can lead to macular degeneration or the early development of cataracts.

Don’t skip eye exams.
Children should be screened by an eye doctor or pediatrician between 6 and 12 months, 3 and 3 ½ years, at 5, and then annually after that.

It’s not too late for adults to start practicing these techniques, also. Make them a family habit, and you could slow the loss of your vision as you age. It’s important to set a good example for your children, too.