Christmas is only a couple months away, so now is a good time to start thinking of gifts for your kids. They most likely have a long list of wants for the latest toys and gadgets. How about giving them a gift they’ll love that also promotes exercise?

This holiday season is the perfect time to influence your children’s health and encourage them to be more active. While it’s inevitable your kids will indulge more in sweets during the holidays, through their presents you can show them just how fun exercising can be.

There are many wonderful items on the market that help keep kids in shape. Some higher-priced items include toys like the Wii system and the Fisher-Price Smart Cycle, a video game where young kids ride a stationary bike and learn at the same time.

Or, if you’d rather get them away from the TV, how about a skateboard, bicycle or pogo stick? If price isn’t a big issue, the possibilities are endless. Just visit your local sporting goods stores for ideas.

For those on a tight budget, there are also lots of reasonably priced outdoor games the whole family can play together, including tetherball, baseball, Frisbee and badminton. Kids love having multi-player games they can enjoy with their parents or friends.

Exercising with your kids doesn’t have to cost money, though. There are a great number of kids indoor activities a family can do together for free this Christmas season.

For toys you do purchase, it may be too cold to break them in outside on Christmas afternoon. But, most kids won’t mind the chilly weather for a chance to have fun with their latest gift. Depending on the toy, perhaps they can even play indoors if the weather is especially unbearable.

So, as you spend countless hours roaming the mall for Christmas purchases, think of gifts your kids will not only love, but will also benefit from. Christmas cookies may only last the season, but learning to enjoy exercise will profit your kids their entire lives.

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