Running regularly is said to improve a child’s quality of life. It’s the most popular sport in the UK, and children frequently participate in road running and jogging each month.
Unfortunately, not every child is fond of participating in a running challenge. If your child isn’t particularly interested in running and you want to get them excited about the sport without being pushy, here are a few things you can do.
Take It Slow
The last thing you want to do is throw a dozen running rules at your child, especially if you’re trying to get them interested in the sport. Start small by focusing on the most basic aspect of the physical activity: running. Don’t emphasize speed or distance at this point. Let your child participate in the activity at their pace.
As they get used to running regularly, you can increase the frequency, distance, or speed. Running shouldn’t become a chore, so make sure you and your child are on the same page!
If you make it a game, children are far more likely to cooperate. There are various versions of tag so pick one and play it with them.
Make Running Fun
Speaking of not letting running become a chore, here’s another idea: make running fun for your child. They shouldn’t view running as something they have to do. The more fun they have while running, the more interest they’ll show in the sport.
Think of ways to ensure your child has a good time during their run. For instance, you can make a game out of it. There are plenty of games and activities that primarily involve running, so incorporate the ones your child enjoys the most. A game of tag or a round of relay racing is a great idea to keep your child entertained and interested.
You can also get their friends or siblings involved. Kids like playing with other kids, so make running a group activity. Better yet, participate in it and run with them!
Mix Things Up
Want to make sure your child doesn’t get bored of running? Keep things interesting by introducing new routes and activities every now and then.
You don’t always have to go to the park. Why not hit the trails next weekend? Or, instead of going running in the morning, why not go for a run in the evening? You can also organise a race or a scavenger hunt to keep their interest alive. A virtual race challenge with medals sounds exciting, doesn’t it?
The Running Bug provides a range of virtual marathon challenges for individuals interested in running. Check out our 5k and 10k run challenges here, and sign your kid up for a kid’s challenge today.
