Site posted on October 23, 2009 13:33
Years ago, kids used to love to play outside until all hours "until the street lights came on." I used to ride my bike to the community pool on summer mornings and return home for dinner. Then I would 
be back outside for kickball or tag with the neighbor kids.
It's not the same for kids today. Much of their play time is spent indoors and even alone. Colorful, action-packed video games, TV shows and online entertainment like Webkinz, IM and Facebook keep our kids busy for hours. If kids are playing outside, it's usually on organized sports teams. Fewer kids are meeting up with their friends after school to ride bikes, play catch, skateboard, or make up their own games.
This is unhealthy for many reasons. First of all, kids lose out on the physical activity that:
• is good for healthy weight
• prevents sickness
• builds confidence
• reduces nervous feelings through physical activity
• helps kids discover their natural talents and makes them special
While we want our children to be "in the know" for the latest technology, they also need to develop their physical skills. A healthy life is all about balancing indoor inactive fun with outdoor active fun. If it seems like your child is not interested in playing outside, here's some tips for getting her out the door and moving:
• Let's be active and tell our kids why we like to move our body- we are our child's biggest role model.
• Limit "screen time" to less than 2 hours per day - or delay the time when they can watch TV or use the computer and play outside while it's light out.
• Ask our kids what new physical activities or sports they would like to try. We need to let them decide.
• Ask our kids to pick a physical activity to do as a family such as a weekend nature walk, bike ride, or ice skating.
• Create an "emergency play pack" for the trunk of the car. Include things like footballs, lacrosse sticks, Frisbees, tennis balls and rackets, baseballs, jump ropes and other play equipment. If one of our kids is sitting around watching her brother's soccer game, she'll have a variety of activities to choose from - and we can play with her during half-time!