There’s no doubt that the world has become increasingly driven by technology. Statistics show that even children as young as 3-4 years old spend as much as 15 hours per week watching tv (96%), 8 hours per week online (40%), and 6 hours per week playing games (40%). While no one can doubt the enormous benefits technology has brought us – increased connectivity, communication, access – and yes, even for kids, with a boost in logical and language skills, hand-eye coordination, education advantages and more.
Conversely, on the downside, there are an equal number of negatives, such as poor eyesight, concentration, and posture. That’s why on this day of celebration and recognition, we’d like to raise attention to a very important issue – being active. We’ve come up with the best International Youth Day activities to keep you little one on the go and drag them away from that device.
Why start early with health and well-being
In the world, there are 1.8 billion young people aged between 10 and 18 years old, and that’s before counting all those under the age of 10, making up a substantial piece of the earth’s population pie. To honor the next generation, we need to lay the foundations and educate for a healthy lifestyle. Here’s why:
- Being active boosts health. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends 60 minutes of activity per day for children aged 5-17 years old, twice that recommended for an adult. Aside from strengthening bones and muscles, this reduces the risk of developing obesity, supports heart health, and lowers the risk of diabetes.
- Instills long-term habits. A focus on activity and healthy eating in childhood can set young people up with positive well-being values for life. How many times have we blamed eating patterns formed in our youth for today’s dietary issues? Or with our attitude to fitness as a chore rather than a pleasure. Time to set the record straight and nip poor nutrition and exercise values in the bud.
- Improved body image and self-confidence. Exercise not only boosts feel-good hormones within the body, it also helps regulate everything else. On a chemical level alone, this makes for a healthier body and mind. Meanwhile, this is also likely to boost body image and increase self-confidence, which is especially crucial during those challenging teenage years.
Top 5 youth day celebration ideas to keep kids active
Just for today, it’s time to set aside those phones, tablets, and other devices (aside from a little music, of course) and take the time to engage and get active with our Youth Day celebration ideas.
Warning! This will be a whole lot of fun!
1. Time to fuel!
We all know that eating those veggies is vital to your health; after all, vitamins are important. You might have heard the rumors that kids will never eat fruit or veg willingly and we’re here to say, stop worrying! Here are our top tips for getting your kids to eat veggies with pleasure.
2. Boost those locomotor skills
Like almost every parent, we’re sure you’ve wondered, “when will my kid walk/talk/etc.?” We have too. While it will happen eventually, here are some simple activities you can do (at any age) to increase your child’s activity level, develop those locomotor skills, and have fun too.
3. Get creative!
Being active doesn’t have to be just fitness, work those creative muscles of yours, and bring the whole family for some outdoors fun. You won’t even notice the time pass as you engage with your child, teach them about the world and show them exercise doesn’t have to be a chore.
4. Remember that any time is a good time
Just because it’s getting dark earlier in the evenings doesn’t mean the fun has to stop. If you’re not in the mood for a lazy family evening in front of the big screen, consider these fun, stress-reducing activities for outside, nighttime play for big kids and small ones alike.
5. Chill-out with a little yoga
Think your children don’t have patience, then it’s time to get teaching. Yoga is a great activity that can help you and your child relax before bedtime while working those all-important muscles. Teaching your little one how to meditate can have numerous benefits, such as being able to deal with stress better (yes, school stress matters), increasing focus, and feeling more secure in their own skin.
