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Family Health and Fitness Day is observed on the last Saturday of September. It aims to promote family involvement in physical activity. People celebrate the occasion with walking events, fun runs, health screenings, and health information workshops.

Family sports offer a great way to spend time together and teach children about teamwork, and fair play. Favorite family activities include dodge ball, basketball, baseball, and swimming. As parents play sports with their children, they can introduce them to the activities and school sports equipment that they will be using when they head back to school in late summer.

Keeping your kids active with family sports activities provides the following benefits:

• Weight management – Weight management is a family affair. Every member of the family must focus on a healthy diet and exercise to maintain an optimal body mass index. Even kids need to be mindful of their health-related choices to avoid juvenile obesity. In most cases, juvenile obesity is caused by lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating patterns. A family that spends an hour running, shooting hoops, or engaging in some other physical activity each day is setting a pattern for a healthy future.
• Improved sleep – Even children may have trouble sleeping at night, but exercising in the morning or midday can help promote better sleeping patterns. Kids today often get busy with their electronic devices and forget physical activity. If fitness becomes a family affair, however, everyone is more likely to participate, and one of the fringe benefits will be improved sleep.
• Mood stabilization – Exercise can be fun. Parents should teach their children not just to endure physical exercise but to truly enjoy it. A parent’s attitude plays a big role in a child’s perception of fitness. Teach kids that exercise benefits both the mind and the body. Physical activity has been proven to reduce symptoms of depression and mood swings.
• Increased energy levels – Family sports can help improve the cardiovascular system for better blood circulation. Regular exercise will keep the lungs and heart strong so you won’t feel as winded or tired throughout the course of your activities.
• Disease prevention – Regular exercise in the form of family sports can help ward off illness, including diseases that affect the cardiovascular system.

Start early promoting family sports. As you incorporate them into your routine on a regular basis, kids will become accustomed to exercise as a fun and essential part of daily life.