Children PLAY, Adults WORKOUT

So one of my clients today mentioned that at her daughter’s preschool they were teaching the kids yoga (which I think is actually a really great idea!).

Downward dog is apparently her daughter’s favorite. She practices the moves all around the house and loves teaching her mom, my client, the moves they learn at school.

Her daughter seems to love the yoga and definitely doesn’t consider it to be working out.

For her, yoga is another form of play.

When does the majority of society stop considering working out to be playing?

Is that age getting earlier and earlier as TV, video games and more sedentary extra curricular activities are becoming more popular for our children to do? Or maybe is it all of the organized sports for kids of all ages?

Or maybe it’s us adults that are the problem. We enable or inadvertently discourage play. I’m not being mean or even really judging. I’m just being honest.

I mean who isn’t going to get their kid video games if ever other kid on the block has them? Who isn’t going to want to sit down and watch TV or a movie with their kid after a long day at work?

I’m guilty of not encouraging play sometimes when I babysit. If I’ve had a long day, I love putting on a cute Disney movie and vegging out next to the kids. I don’t have to move or do any work! YES!

And the organized sports? Why are we starting kids with ORGANIZED sports so young? Why not let them experiment with different activities and have fun?

I guess I’m just wondering how much the pressure of organize sports changes what should be “play” into something they “have to do” like working out…

So is it all our fault? Are we adults to blame?

Maybe if we start playing more, our children will!

Go play on the playground with your kids. Go paddle boarding. Go run and climb and swing in the trees with your children.

Make working out play again!

Just like Ivy Morphine of the Boston Derby Dames does!

Ivy Morphine of the Boston Derby Dames showing off her Man Bicep!

Posted on March 14, 2012, in Play and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. 1 Comment.

  1. I totally agree, the best workouts should just be play – it doesn’t have to mean time spent in the gym – go climb a tree, balance on a skateboard, run, skip but most off all have FUN

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