What Time is it, Mr. Wolf? Time to Play More!

My memories of elementary school include plenty of activity: I played Red Rover and “What time is it, Mr. Wolf?” until my knees were scraped clean of skin and I had the biggest grin on my face. Then again, Facebook and Twitter didn’t exist just 10 years ago, and cellphones were as big as bricks when I was young enough to scamper around on a playground.

Today’s kids may not be as physically active, at least according to a recent study of elementary school-aged children.

Kids not moving enough?

Researchers in the UK have suggested that kids aren’t getting enough exercise these days. Only 51 percent of the surveyed seven year olds reported getting the recommended hour of physical activity each day.

Among girls, this figure was even more troubling: while 63 percent of boys were active on a daily basis, only 38 percent of their female peers could say the same.

What we can do?

This question has an easy answer: get the whole family moving! Fit in an hour (or more) of daily activity between bouts of television and video games.

• Rediscover the playground games of your youth—from hopscotch to hot lava—and share them with your children or small siblings.
• Make exercise fun by purchasing a trampoline, taking the kids to a bouncy castle, or spending late summer days at the beach.
• Lead by example with healthy dietary choices (most of the time!) and daily exercise.
• Encourage a love of sports and healthy competition.
• Just do it together! Getting active is good for everyone.

How active are the kids in your life? Let us know your tips for getting little ones moving in the comments or via Facebook and Twitter.