Fitness And Kids - FIT-4-Kids, An Exercise Program Just For Kids

by: Cadman Peterson


Introducing kids to a healthy lifestyle can be a challenge in our fast food, video game laden society. Thirty minutes once a week in P.E. class isn't nearly enough to maintain the cardiovascular system, much less keep an overall healthy bodyweight. One thing that P.E. class has right though is that classes are fun and they allow kids to socialize. The Fit Express' FIT-4-Kids exercise program along with their specially-made kids exercise equipment gives kids what they need and want.


 So little Johnny's not thrilled about running 30 minutes on a treadmill? It's already hard enough for adults, who understand the importance, to exercise on a consistent basis. I've trained children, I can tell you from experience they get distracted and bored even easier. Introducing health and wellness at an early age is important and it's up to us to give them a fun option.

There many ways kids can get physical exercise from after-school sports, jungle gyms, parks, recreational centers, kids gyms. However, most of these don't consist of a strict program (that doesn't feel strict) that makes them do at least 30 minutes of continuous cardiovascular exercise and also includes functional strength training using complete range of motion for all of the body's muscle groups. The FIT-4-Kids exercise program contains the key aspects of fitness and provides cardio and strength exercises in a safe, fun and sociable way.

Fluid Interval Training (i.e. FIT) works very similar to circuit training. Exercise machines (each working different muscle groups) are placed in a circle or other arrangement. Every 2 minutes a central timer goes off and everybody switches to a different machine that they do continuously for the next 2 minutes. This allows multiple muscle groups to be worked simultaneously, the heart rate stays up, and it doesn't get boring. Two minute timer's just a suggestion; custom workouts can be easily created.

Worried about kids exercise equipment being dangerous? Don't be! FIT is extremely safe! What do sports, rec. centers, parks, and jungle gyms all have in common? They all allow kids to do uncontrolled movements, on their own, with minimal supervision. Running around, kicking, jumping, swinging-there's lots of potential for muscle and joint injuries! Kid's don't have the motor coordination to perform the unassisted exercises like squats, pull-ups, etc. with proper form and technique. Even when they could do these exercises, it's not fun for them and they don't have the patience or enjoy repetition sets. FIT is perfect, it's continuous and it doesn't require concentration or slow/boring movements.

Unlike most gym equipment you're familiar with, FIT-4-Kids doesn't use bulky machines with weight stacks, it uses Fit Express' kids hydraulic fitness equipment. By pushing or pulling oil through hydraulic cylinders to create resistance it provides an extremely smooth fluid movement that is much safer and kid-friendly. Never worry about dropping a weight stack, pushing or pulling too far, or hurting joints. You can pause at any point during the movement! And unlike most gym equipment with hard-to-understand seating levers and controls, the FIT4Kids machines are smaller (for children 4' to 5'9) with fixed seating and control arms. An easy-to-reach lever that controls if the exercise is harder (more strength) or easier/faster (more cardio) is the only option. So they can just get on and go!

Call your local kids gyms, recreational centers, schools, and ask them if they have a FIT-4-Kids circuit! Visit www.FitExpress.com for more information.

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Dressing Your Children For The Winter

by: Scott Souness


It is a universal fact that kids love winter. A soft blanket of powdery snow covering everything provides children endless opportunities for fun.-A much loved season for many children, winter symbolises the simple pleasures of snowball fights, [building-making} snowmen and ploughing through snow banks on a sled.-From snowball fights to sledding down hills and constructing shiny-eyed �snowmen, winter represents endless opportunities for fun for most kids.}While kids should not be discouraged to play in the snow, there are some precautions that need to be taken to ensure the safety and comfort of a child exposed to harsh winter conditions.

Ensure that all Winter Clothes are Clean

Kids have a tendency to fall ill in the winter more than the other seasons. Symptoms like the common cold, flu as well as more serious illnesses like strep throat and respiratory infections frequently occur in winter. Young children are especially at risk from these. The best way to guard them from illness in winter is to keep your kid's winter clothes thoroughly clean and free from disease causing germs.

When it comes to selecting cleaning products for kid's winter clothes, organic is the way to go. Organic detergents are not only free of the harmful industrial chemicals that plague many of their non-organic counterparts, but they are also equally effective at cleaning dirt and grime. Would you trust a detergent with hazardous industrial chemicals on your baby's clothes?

Dress in Layers

Dressing in layers is the best way for kids to beat the cold when playing outdoors in the winter. Merino wool outerwear and innerwear are ideal as they are not only warm but also breathable and non-scratchy - an important factor when it comes to dressing children. Avoid using cotton clothes for winter wear as they don't retain warmth as other materials.

A long sleeved undershirt, followed by a turtleneck and two or more shirts rounded off with a heavy sweater or winter coat should be enough for the top half. For the bottom half consider long underwear made from a soft, breathable material like merino wool and a pair of heavy waterproof pants.

Heavy waterproof boots with thermal socks should take care of the feet. If your child is the type to do a lot of running around and exploring outdoors, make sure the boots have good treads for extra grip on the slippery ice. Finally, accessories like earmuffs, a winter hat, a good pair of gloves and a scarf should give more than adequate protection.

Keeping your Baby Warm in Cold Weather

Keeping your baby warm and comfortable during the winter months will result in a happy baby and well rested parents! Keep your baby's extremities are kept warm at all times as they can get especially cold in a short amount of time. Baby blankets and baby merino clothing ensure that your baby stays warm and restful no matter how cold it gets outside. Baby merino clothing is not only warm and breathable, but also non-scratchy, making it perfect for a baby's soft skin.

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How Bean Bag Chairs Benefit Day Care Centers

by: Aron


Day care centers are places where children can play, learn and grow, and the environment in a daycare classroom should be relaxing and inviting for kids.


In order to get this kind of fun environment, many teachers in elementary schools and day care centers are stocking their classrooms with beanbag furniture. Kids love bean bag furniture because it is a big soft, squishy surface on which to play and lounge, but teachers love beanbag chairs because of their portability and easy cleanup.

While kids may love the fun colors and unique texture of beanbag chairs, there are also many benefits to bean bag chairs in the day care environment. First, beanbag furniture offers kids a safe place to relax and unwind. Many younger children in daycare suffer from anxiety when separated from their parents, but the comfort and relaxation offered by beanbag chairs can help relieve this anxiety.

Young children in day care are also exploring different textures and learning about their senses. Beanbag chairs let children experience a new texture, and they are safe enough to allow children to run and jump onto a soft surface. Studies have shown that beanbag furniture can also provide pressure therapy for autistic children, and neurotypical children can benefit from pressure therapy and experiencing new textures as well.

Because beanbag chairs offer children a comfortable spot to lounge, they can also encourage reading and learning. The comfort of a beanbag chair allows children to focus on ingesting new information. On beanbag furniture, kids can arrange their bodies for maximum comfort so their minds are free to learn. Creating a space in the day care classroom where children can read in comfort is important because it helps them develop lifelong reading habits.

In addition to offering benefits to children in a learning environment, beanbag chairs also offer many advantages to daycare teachers. Not only can beanbag furniture be easily picked up and stored when not in use, many bean bag chairs have durable and cleanable covers. Because of the way they can benefit learning, beanbag furniture can also count as great tax deductions for day care centers. Many teachers may not think of tax deductions when decorating classrooms, but beanbag furniture is one of the few types of furniture that is therapeutic as well as functional, so they can save day cares money on taxes.

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