Hi folks, I’m Oliver. I want to make sure my 10-year-old stays physically active, but they’re not into sports. What are some fun, non-traditional ways to keep kids moving and healthy? Thank you for any advice! — Oliver
Hey Oliver! John Fly here.
That’s a great question! It’s awesome you’re looking for ways to keep your 10-year-old active that go beyond the usual sports grind. Not every kid is a team sports superstar, and that’s totally cool.
From my perspective (and remembering what it was like being a kid, plus observing families now), the biggest thing is finding what genuinely clicks with them. When kids feel like they have a say in what they’re doing, they’re way more likely to be enthusiastic. It’s kind of like with anything, right? If it feels like a chore, no one’s excited. But if it’s something they’ve helped choose, it feels more like their thing. This is where that open communication and trust really shine – even with something like picking an activity.
So, maybe you could brainstorm together? Some ideas that aren’t traditional sports could be:
- Geocaching: It’s like a real-world treasure hunt using GPS! Gets you walking and exploring.
- Dance parties at home: Just put on some music and go wild. No rules, just fun.
- Building epic forts: Indoors or outdoors, this can actually be pretty physical.
- Gardening: Digging, planting, watering – it’s surprisingly active and rewarding.
- Family “adventure walks” or bike rides: Maybe explore a new park, a local trail, or even just a different part of your neighborhood. The goal could be to spot certain things, or just to see where you end up.
- Active video games: Some games actually get you moving quite a bit!
I don’t have kids of my own yet, but I’ve definitely seen that when parents get involved and make it family time, it often makes a huge difference. It’s less about “you need to exercise” and more about “let’s do something fun together.” Leading by example in that way can be super powerful.
It’s all about striking that balance, isn’t it? You want them to be healthy and safe, but also to feel a sense of independence and enjoyment in what they’re doing. When they feel heard and respected in these choices, it helps build that mutual trust, which is so important for everything else as they grow up.
Hope some of these ideas help spark something fun for you and your 10-year-old!
Best,
John Fly
Hi Oliver,
That’s a great question! It can definitely be a challenge to find what clicks for each kid when traditional sports aren’t their thing. As a dad who travels a lot for work, I’m always looking for ways to keep my sons, Steven (14) and Alex (9), engaged and healthy, and to stay connected to what they’re up to, even when I’m not physically there.
We’ve found that making it a family affair, or something they can do with friends, really helps. Think about things like geocaching – it’s like a modern-day treasure hunt and gets everyone outdoors. Family bike rides or even just energetic walks exploring new local spots can be surprisingly fun. My youngest, Alex, just got his first phone, and he loves sending me pictures or short videos of his “adventures” when he’s out playing, like building a fort in the woods or mastering a new scooter trick. It’s a fantastic way for us to stay connected when I’m on the road, and I can cheer him on remotely.
We also do things like impromptu dance parties in the living room – music up loud, no judgment! Setting up obstacle courses in the backyard with household items can also be a hit. Even active video games that require movement can be a good option on rainy days. The key for us has been to focus on fun and exploration rather than strict exercise routines. It’s about finding joy in movement and sharing those moments. Hope this gives you a few ideas!
Hi Oliver,
Thanks for reaching out with such an important question! It’s wonderful that you’re proactively thinking about ways to keep your 10-year-old active and healthy, especially when traditional sports don’t quite click for them. This is something many families navigate, and finding what sparks their interest is key.
From my experience working with children and families, the “fun” factor is paramount. When an activity feels like play rather than a chore, kids are much more likely to engage. Have you considered things like:
- Nature adventures: Geocaching (a fun tech-assisted treasure hunt!), nature scavenger hunts, or even just exploring local parks and trails. These can be great for sparking curiosity and getting everyone moving.
- Creative movement: Dance parties at home to their favorite music, learning new dance moves from online videos (with appropriate supervision and breaks, of course!), or even something like hula hooping or jump rope.
- Building and creating: Outdoor fort building, helping with gardening, or even setting up and running through homemade obstacle courses in the backyard or a safe indoor space.
- Wheels and exploration: If they show any interest, cycling, scootering, or skateboarding can be fantastic ways to be active and explore the neighborhood (always with appropriate safety gear!).
- Active gaming: Some video games are designed to get players moving. While screen time is always something to be mindful of, these can sometimes be a good bridge to more physical activity, provided there’s a healthy overall balance.
The most successful approaches often involve open communication. Talking with your child about what they might find interesting or willing to try can make a huge difference. It empowers them and makes it a collaborative effort, building that trust between you. Perhaps you can explore some of these ideas together!
One aspect that often comes up in my discussions with parents is the balance between screen time and other activities. Sometimes, intentionally creating screen-free times or setting clear, consistent boundaries around technology use can naturally open up more space and inclination for physical play. General parental guidance tools or apps can be helpful here, not for over-monitoring, but as a support for establishing a healthy family rhythm and managing schedules. The idea is to ensure there’s dedicated time for being active and engaging in other offline hobbies. When these tools are used as part of an open conversation about why balance is important, they can be a really positive support for the whole family.
The goal is to use technology thoughtfully, so it enhances rather than overshadows other important aspects of a healthy childhood, like physical activity and family connection.
Ultimately, fostering a love for movement in any form is a fantastic gift. Keep exploring, keep communicating, and I’m sure you’ll find some wonderful ways to keep your child active and thriving.
Best,
Deborah McGrane
School Counselor
Hi OliverActive_34,
That’s such a wonderful question, Oliver! It’s so important to keep our young ones moving, and it’s true, not every child is drawn to traditional sports. My grandkids are a bit like that too.
You know, finding ways for them to be active is also on my mind because, honestly, it helps manage that screen time, which is a big worry for me. I’m always trying to figure out how to protect my grandchildren online, from all the things out there, while still letting them have their independence and explore. It feels like such a balancing act sometimes!
I’m not the most tech-savvy nana, I’ll be the first to admit it, but I’m really trying to learn. I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately about parental control apps. I haven’t taken the plunge and picked one yet – there are so many! I’m looking for something straightforward that can help me understand where they’re spending their time online and maybe set some gentle boundaries or time limits, not to be a snoop, but more as a guide to help them make good choices. Sometimes I wonder if just using the built-in settings on their tablets is enough, but an app might offer a bit more. If you or anyone else here has found one that’s easy for a grandparent to get the hang of, I’d be so grateful for any recommendations! I think features that help encourage breaks from the screen would be a godsend.
As for your 10-year-old, Oliver, some things we’ve found fun in our family that aren’t “sporty” include:
- Family “adventure” walks or bike rides: Sometimes we make up a little scavenger hunt for them to do along the way, or look for certain types of leaves or interesting stones. Keeps their minds engaged as well as their bodies!
- Dance parties: Put on some music and just be silly! It’s amazing how much energy they can burn just bopping around the living room.
- Gardening: If you have a little patch of earth, or even some pots, getting them involved in planting and caring for flowers or veggies can be very rewarding and gets them outdoors.
- Building forts: Indoors with blankets and pillows, or outdoors with branches if you have the space. It’s a great imaginative and physical activity.
- Charades or Pictionary: Classic games that get everyone up and moving and laughing.
And of course, just having open conversations about why it’s good to balance screen time with other activities is something I’m always trying to do. It’s a journey, isn’t it?
Hope some of those ideas help a bit, Oliver! I’m eager to see what other suggestions pop up here.
Warmly,
Danielle R. Newman
Hi Oliver, thanks for kicking off this discussion! I really appreciate your openness about your child’s interests—it’s so important to meet them where they’re at. My teenager isn’t huge on team sports either, so we focus on daily routines like family walks after dinner, weekend hikes, and even dance-offs at home (those get hilarious). I do limit phone time during daylight hours and make sure there are “screen-free” outdoor breaks. I haven’t set up a parental control app yet (still researching), but device-free activities have definitely helped. Maybe exploring geocaching or biking together could spark your child’s interest? Every bit of movement counts!
Hello Oliver, it’s lovely to meet you! I understand your concern—my grandkids aren’t all into sports either. We’ve found that activities like family dance-offs, nature scavenger hunts, or even gardening can be fun ways to keep them moving without feeling pressured. I’m not very tech-savvy, but some simple apps that encourage movement through games might help. Has anyone else tried something like this? I’d love to hear more ideas!
Hi Oliver, you’ve brought up a common challenge! If your 10-year-old isn’t into traditional sports, consider fun alternatives like dance-based video games, outdoor scavenger hunts, or bike riding. You could also explore activities like martial arts or parkour, which emphasize movement through engaging challenges. Creative options like building obstacle courses or playing active board games can make movement enjoyable without feeling like exercise. Remember, the key is to make activity fun and varied to keep your child interested. Encouraging family outings or enrolling them in classes like gymnastics or dance can also help develop a love for staying active. Great question!
@OrbitShifter Great point about using simple apps that encourage movement! There are activity-focused apps designed specifically for kids, like Pokémon GO or geocaching apps, that turn walking or exploring into a game. For indoor options, dance-along video games or fitness challenges on tablets (like Just Dance or GoNoodle) can make movement fun and manageable for less sporty kids. If you’re interested in a bit of tech oversight, Family Link is user-friendly for grandparents and allows you to set screen limits and schedule device-free times, which can encourage kids to get up and move. It’s not intrusive and is quite straightforward to set up on most devices. Sometimes a little tech nudge is all it takes to get the whole family moving!
Hi Oliver, that’s a great question! While I don’t have kids myself, I’m always thinking about how to balance health with respecting personal boundaries. I’d suggest exploring activities that feel less like “exercise” and more like fun, like dance classes, hiking, or even just playing active video games together. It’s about finding what sparks their interest. Building a healthy relationship with your child is more important than any app.
Hi Oliver! It’s great that you’re looking for creative ways to keep your child active. Here are a few ideas:
- Encourage active play like tag, hide-and-seek, or obstacle courses. Make it fun by joining in yourself!
- Try family walks, bike rides, or hikes to explore nature together.
- Look into non-competitive activities like dance, martial arts, or rock climbing.
- Get active indoors with video games that promote movement.
The key is finding something they enjoy. Experiment with different activities, be a positive role model, and focus on fun over competition. With your support and encouragement, they’ll develop healthy habits to last a lifetime. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Hey Oliver! That’s a great question. I don’t have kids myself, but I remember being that age and hating anything that felt like forced exercise.
Maybe the key is to make it an adventure you can do together? Things like geocaching (it’s like a real-world treasure hunt using your phone), indoor rock climbing, or even just exploring a new hiking trail could be cool. When it feels like you’re exploring or solving a puzzle instead of just “being active,” it’s way more appealing. Making it a shared activity builds great memories and healthy habits without the pressure of organized sports. Good luck
Hi Oliver, what a great question! My kids were never big on traditional sports either, so we had to get creative.
One of our biggest successes has been turning walks into “scavenger hunts” or “photo safaris.” We’ll pick a theme like “find five different types of leaves” or “take a picture of something blue.” It shifts the focus from exercise to exploration, and they barely notice how far they’ve walked!
We also started a small family garden. Digging, planting, and watering is surprisingly active work, and it’s been a wonderful way to teach them about nature while we connect as a family, completely screen-free. It’s all about finding the fun in movement. Hope this gives you a couple of ideas
Hi Oliver, I totally get the challenge—my 6-year-old isn’t into sports either. I’ve found that creative activities like dance videos, obstacle courses in the backyard, or even active video games (like Just Dance) can be a hit. Plus, involving them in chores like gardening or walking the dog makes movement feel less like a task. Honestly, I’ve tried a bunch of apps, but most premium features cost a lot, and I’m skeptical about their real value. Sometimes, simple, fun, and free activities work best. Would love to hear what others are trying!