If you are the parent of a young child, or even a child who is well into his teens, you will want to help them develop a healthy lifestyle. There are a number of things that go into building a healthy lifestyle and since it is something adults often struggle with, it is important to give kids the skills they need from as early as possible so many healthy behaviors become habit. Kids are often distracted by things that are far more fun than working on creating a healthy life, so you need to take the lead and fit the healthy stuff in among the fun stuff. In some cases, the healthy things can be fun. A key to keeping kids fit and healthy is to offer fun activities that are also good for their health. If kids have access to games that require physical activity, pitching machines, baseball training aids, bats, balls, basketball nets and other sports equipment, they are likely to engage in active fun. Stock your home and play rooms with plenty of fun things to do that get kids moving.

Parents usually have a tendency to plan meals and go to the grocery store without much input from the kids. Shopping can often be much easier when kids are not in tow. They have a tendency to grab at the most colorful package or most expensive item on the shelves and many of these options are not all that healthy. The key to preventing grocery store and dinner time frustration is to get kids involved in meal planning. Sit down with your kids ahead of time and have them suggest things they would like to eat in the upcoming week. If your children are old enough, you can even pass the meal planning and preparation off to them one night a week. This is a great way to let them take responsibility for their health.

One of the biggest problems kids face is having too much access to activities that are sedentary. Electronic toys are plentiful and kids are always in want of the latest gadget or electronic toy. While you may not want to deny kids access to all video fun, it should be limited. Set a rule that all video game fun must be balanced out by outdoor play or physical activity. For every hour your child plays a video game, they must go outside and play a game for an hour.

You should seek balance in all areas of your child's life. Set limits on all activities so they are not engaged in just one thing. Hyper levels of focus are not healthy, so no matter what your child is doing, set limits. There is no reason why a child needs to do homework for six hours a night. The same is true for the fun stuff too, though. Some time devoted to physical activity, video game fun, homework, clean up and self-care to ensure your child will have a balanced life.

Finally, lead by example. This is probably going to be the most challenging of all the tips. In order to interest your child in physical activity and healthy activities, you are going to have to lead a healthy life yourself. You cannot expect your child to choose carrots and bananas for a snack if you are eating chips and chocolate. You also need to lead by example when it comes to exercise. Make sure your child sees you putting time and effort into keeping fit.