From the moment your child could walk, he shot around faster than a speeding bullet, leaped tall buildings (or at least chunky chairs), bounced off the walls— and left you and his caregiver gasping for breath as you tried to keep him in your sights and out of trouble. But now that he’s 5, he’s sitting more often than scrambling. You love that he likes books, is a whiz at interactive DVD puzzles and can build a LEGO metropolis. But is this newfound focus limiting his fitness? 

While we want our little ones to learn to read, sit still and concentrate, there are concerns about their physical activity declining as they get older. Recent research from New Zealand shows a significant reduction in activity from age 3 to ages 4 and 5. Also, 4- and 5-year-olds spend about an hour and a half a day in front of a TV, computer or game screen and another hour and a half doing desirable sedentary things like reading and drawing. But too much sedentary behavior may be one factor in an increased risk for obesity later on.

That’s why parents need to heed the suggestion from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Sports Medicine: Encourage kids to get an hour a day of physical activity, says Rachael Taylor, PhD, a lead researcher of the New Zealand study and a senior research fellow in early childhood obesity at the University of Otago. Even so, Dr. Taylor notes, “it’s difficult to add up activity at this age because it’s so intermittent.”

So how does an overloaded working mom provide her child with a full daily dose of exercise? “Age four or five is a good time to start a child in a gymnastics, tennis or other structured movement class,” says Dr. Taylor. These environments increase children’s exposure to regular exercise and action, she explains. Plus, there’s a good chance they’ll keep up the activity through the years.

Other ways to promote physical play: “Young children are natural explorers,” says Dr. Taylor. “So going out together to discover your neighborhood on foot or bikes is an excellent way to get kids moving around.” Encourage your caregiver to let your child run around safe outdoor spaces. Set up a nature scavenger hunt to promote an active search.

When the weather outside is frightful, there are delightful ways to be active indoors. “Set up a mini obstacle course with chairs and small pillows,” Dr. Taylor suggests. It’ll get your child crawling and moving and stretching. Even blowing up balloons and bouncing them with swatters counts as physical activity. When young kids are having fun, they can meet the hour-of-active playtime goal with ease—and without bouncing off the walls.

Fit Together
There may be a correlation between parents’ activity levels and those of their kids, says researcher Dr. Rachael Taylor. If parents are active, their children may be, too, and vice versa. So get physical together: Hit the playground. Your child will enjoy running around, and you’ll work your arms pushing him on the swing and raising him up to the monkey bars. Hide and seek. This forever favorite gets everyone moving. Don’t forget to trade off hiding and seeking. Crank up the stereo. Enjoy moving and grooving to the beat together.

Smart Shoe

Active kids need supportive shoes to keep them on their toes, and the Skechers Frontier- Super Z fills the bill. The Velcro Z-strap for easy on and off and the traction outsole are for you; the cool high-tech style is for him ($44, skechers.com).