This post has been written by the editors at Building Body Muscles. Our blog is dedicated to staying fit and putting on muscles while losing fat. Putting up healthy habits in kids is one of the best things you can do as a parent. To receive more fitness tips sign up to our newsletter or RSS.

When you mention the word exercise, many adults cringe at the thought of slaving away hours in the gym to have a total body workout. Kids, on the other hand, usually equate exercise with playing and being physically active. The sports that they engage in, the games that they play with other kids outdoors and the dance classes that they attend are all forms of exercise – with the only rule being that these activities require some sort of physical exertion from them.

Numerous Benefits from Getting Your Kids to Exercise

In today's world where computers, the Internet, handheld gaming devices and video games are becoming the norm, it is quite easy for parents to fall into the trap of turning these gadgets – including television sets – into virtual baby sitters. Rather than letting their kids go out to play physical games where they get to move their bodies, get a healthy dose of sunlight and socialize with kids their age – there are some parents who would rather have their kids stay at home to play games on their computer.

Although there is absolutely nothing wrong with allowing your kids to play electronic games at home, letting them play physical games, encouraging them to engage in sports and teaching them to exercise, is also a must for them to live a well-balanced life.

To give you an idea, here is a quick list of the health benefits enjoyed by kids who are physically active:

-    Become happier and more active.
-    Decrease the risks of developing type 2 diabetes.
-    Develop strength, endurance and flexibility.
-    Have stronger muscles and bones.
-    Have leaner, healthier bodies because exercise helps control obesity.
-    Have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

After learning about the multitude of benefits that kids will get to enjoy by exercising, let us take a look at the number of hours that kids need to exercise, as recommended by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education:

• For infants – No specific requirements
• For toddlers – 1.5 hours (30 minutes planned physical activity and 60 minutes unstructured physical activity or free play)
• For preschoolers – 2 hours (60 minutes planned physical activity and 60 minutes of free play)
• For school age kids – 1 hour or more (break up 1 hours into bouts of 15-minute planned physical activities)

Top 10 Kid-Friendly Exercises

Now, what are the top 10 kid-friendly exercises that parents can teach and encourage their kids to do at home? Take a look at the following list:

1. Basketball
2. Bicycling
3. Jogging
4. Jumping jacks
5. Pull-ups and push-ups
6. Running
7. Swimming
8. Skipping Rope
9. Stretching
10. Walking

Some of these belong to aerobics exercises which work on all parts of the body while keeping the heart healthy at the same time. Stretching exercises help improve flexibility while simple walking teaches kids how to maintain their balance. all the other exercises help strengthen and tone up their muscles.

When asking older kids to engage in total-body workouts, make sure to supervise and have them do warm-up exercises first. Join your kids in doing about five minutes of light activities like jumping jacks, knee lifts, bending and stretching. After the warm-up, proceed to the main exercise which should last for fifteen to forty minutes per day. Cool down exercises are also important – perform light exercises for about five minutes after the main workout activity to prevent injury.

If you want to set up a home gym for your kids but you don't have a lot of space, you can get a jumping rope, hula hoop, bouncy balls, a balance board, a sit-and-spin equipment or a mini-trampoline. These fun-to-play-with things will encourage them to play and become physically active year-long.

When thinking of exercises that you can have your child do at home, it's pretty much all the basic workouts that adults can also do – minus the fancy gym equipment. There is absolutely no sense in letting your child fall under the trap of leading a sedentary lifestyle, so always encourage them to become physically active by joining sports teams, exercising and playing outdoor games with their friends.