Aspirus | Aspire | Spring 2018

aspirus.org 3 Active fun—all summer long Emily Tracey, PA-C SUMMER is a warm, bright invitation to get outside and play. The sunny days offer a wonderful opportunity for children to get their recommended 60 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. Not all kids spend their summer vacations being active though. Need help motivating your kids to spend less time staring at a TV screen or electronic device and more time exercising their bodies? Here are some tips from Emily Tracey, PA-C, a physician assistant specializing in pediatrics at Aspirus clinics in Medford and Athens: Create amedia plan for each child that balances screen time with sleep, exercise and time away frommedia. For kids older than 5, limit screen time to nomore than two hours a day. Kids ages 2 to 5 should get nomore than one hour of screen time a day. For kids under age 2, use screens sparingly. 1.Usescreenswithcare. Bike to the library together. Explore a nearby park or local trail. Encourage everybody to train for a charity walk or run. Visit a water park. Ask your kids for ideas on ways to be active as a family. Then follow through with some of their favorite picks. 2. Make family time active time. 3. Get creative. Head out on a neighborhood scavenger hunt. Play active games at gatherings—maybe soccer in a nearby field or croquet in your backyard. Put on your children’s favoritemusic and have a dance party. Challenge your kids and yourself to learn a new skill—perhaps skateboarding or in-line skating. 4. Playmatchmaker. Help your kids consider what sports or physical activities theymay find interesting and are a goodmatch for their age and skills. Then find community teams or programs they can join. Keep inmind that some kids may prefer individual activities like running and swimming, while others may findmore enjoyment in group sports like softball or karate. 5. Bea cheerleader for healthyhabits. RAISEA HEALTHY CHILD Visit aspirus.org/healthinfo for more useful tips to help kids grow up healthy and happy. Be aware that children of all ages copy what adults around themdo—whether that’s eating well or moving more. If you’re telling your kids to put down their electronic devices and get active, but you’re still sitting on the couch glued to your smartphone, you’re sending mixedmessages. Even when children don’t seem to be paying attention, they are.