In this day and age, both parents typically have to work to earn a living, which means leaving their children in a day care center for the day. You might worry that your child isn't going to get the exercise and physical activity they might get at home when you leave them at a traditional day care facility. There is no need to worry, because your child still can get the exercise they need while being cared for; it just takes a more specialized center to get this kind of care.

Physical Play

When your child heads to day care, you might think they mostly stay in one room being read to, playing video games, or taking naps. This may be a part of the program at many day care centers, but typically there is a physical play element as well. This could include running around the center's outside playground, climbing on apparatus, digging in sandboxes, or playing games like tag or hide and seek.

Any form of physical play can be considered exercise and any type of movement is good for children. It helps counteract the problems with being too sedentary while watching videos or playing games on the computer.

Specialized Programs

There are some day cares or even camps that take children year-round into specialized programs. These can include teaching your child to ride a bike or teaching them more advanced skills on their bike. They can learn gymnastics, either competitively or just for fun; they can learn sports like baseball, soccer, or football; and they even take dance classes.

These groups can range in age from toddler to teenager, so if your child does have an aptitude for one of these hobbies or really enjoys it, they can continue learning into adulthood.

Fitness Centers

There are gyms that also have day care or programs for your child to attend. These programs can include playing on indoor equipment such as ropes or bars; learning how to do push-ups, pull-ups, and crunches just like you at your gym; or being part of a rotating type of program that takes the kids ice skating one day and swimming the next day, for example.

These day cares do operate year-round, so even during the summer months, your child can take advantage of the fun and exercise they can receive within their favorite programs. Your own gym may also have its own day care center, so if you want to work out one day but are worrying where to leave your kids, bring them along and they will have just as much fun as you will.

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