With full-time jobs and families, adults often find it hard to maintain a fitness regimen. The gym’s treadmill and Stairmaster seem meager replacements for the glory days of freeze tag, capture the flag, and foursquare at recess.

As childhood obesity continues to rise (up to 30 percent in the United States), it’s more important than ever to encourage healthy exercise and provide a good example of fitness habits. Don’t live vicariously through your children’s play—join in the fun!

Get Moving

Michael Sena, CFS, stresses the importance of fitness at all ages and emphasizes the role of the family in relation to kids’ health. For adults age 18 and older, he recommends activities including walking, biking, jogging, or swimming for 20 minutes a day. Some might even be combined with a lunch hour or made part of a commute.

Among adolescents ages 13 to 17, Sena advocates 30 to 45 minutes of cardiovascular activity four to six times a week. “Your teenage sons and daughters may have already discovered activities they like to do. As long as they are active while doing it, you should encourage their ‘playtime.’ As your kids get older, there are many distractions that can break their active patterns and habits, so stoke the fires and keep your kids in a routine,” he says.

For children 12 and younger, Sena proposes activities from organized athletics to jumping rope, climbing, tag, skateboarding, or martial arts for 30 minutes a day and from four to seven days a week. He adds, “It is important to engage in activities that require walking, jumping, running, skipping, hopping, catching, and climbing to aid in developing their balance, agility, and coordination.” While it’s best to keep it simple, you can accelerate your child’s activity by incorporating movements such as a high march step or the one-leg hop in a fitness regimen.

Although team sports are often an easy way for kids to stay fit, there are a number of noncompetitive ways to keep children active. Examples include swimming, dancing, cycling, yoga, horseback riding, and much more. Be careful not to make exercise a punishment: Forcing activity may increase a child’s resistance to exercise. One approach is to use physical activity as an alternative to something less exhilarating—your child may beg for 20 more minutes outside just to put off doing homework.

All Together

Although individual activity is vital for optimal health at all ages, don’t underestimate the value of the involvement of the whole family in a child’s fitness. A parent or sibling can set an example and provide support for the younger members of the household. “Research has demonstrated that kids are much more likely to exercise if their parents exercise . . . Bottom line: It’s better to be a player than an onlooker,” write Jose Antonio, PhD, and Jeffrey R. Stout, PhD, in Fit Kids for Life.

If your child wants to kick the soccer ball, go outside and join her. Every kid can benefit from swim lessons, so get advice from an instructor and then go swimming together. Plan outings that involve walking—take a walk through the zoo, park, or even the mall. Consider organizing a family trip or vacation around an activity like hiking, rafting, or snorkeling. “It’s much easier for children to stay healthy and adopt good habits if they see their parents making exercise a priority,” adds physical therapist Teresa Schuemann, PT, SCS.

Although setting a good example with your own physical activity is important, a number of other support systems are available. Check online or visit your local library to find out about youth activities in your area. Exposure to a variety of activities, encouragement, and feedback can help shape your child’s identity as an indiv