Kids' Arm Exercises

Children's physical fitness needs to be a primary concern for parents. Today, however, too many children lead a sedentary lifestyle, spending time in front of a computer or TV. More U.S. children are obese than ever before. You can help your child improve arm strength with simple exercises that often seem like fun.

  1. Benefits

    • Exercise has many proved benefits, ranging from stronger bones and muscles to a toned, lean physique. Any exercise, including those aimed at building arm muscles, also helps children fight obesity and diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, all of which increasingly are showing up in out-of-shape children.

      Doctors recommend that elementary and middle school children exercise at least one hour a day. Homework and after-school activities often make this goal hard to achieve. Stay focused on the benefits of exercise for your child: better motor skills, coordination and balance. Arm exercises in particular help with the coordination needed for team sports. Children can develop a positive outlook on exercise once they see the rewards, and this appreciation for keeping themselves healthy will last a lifetime.

    Play as Exercise

    • If you tell you child he must exercise, he might balk. Kids exercise without realizing it when they play. So, play catch with your child, using a softball and glove. Challenge your kid to a game of basketball "horse" on the driveway. Tossing horseshoes works the upper arm muscles, increasing strength. The added benefit lies in the fact that you'll also be improving your child's hand-eye coordination with these fun activities.

      Also, assign your child some age-appropriate household chores; carrying grocery bags in from the car, toting laundry upstairs, raking leaves or rearranging the pantry shelves all work your child's upper arms.

    Specific Exercises

    • Invite your child to join your own workout. When you do push ups, ask your child to give it a try. Check for correct positioning and alignment of the neck and spine. If pushing up onto his toes is too difficult, tell your child to place his knees on the floor. Jumping jacks are a standard warm up exercise that's just plain fun for kids. Your child doesn't need to know that the jacks work the upper arms, too. To prevent injury, make sure your child doesn't work too hard or too long.

      Light resistance exercises using basic equipment offers a safer alternative to weight lifting. Light weight resistance balls, also called medicine balls, offer a fun boost to routine exercises. Simply have your child hold the ball in her hands when performing typical exercises, such as squats and lunges. She can twist, lift and raise the ball above her head to strengthen upper arms and shoulders. Resistance bands can also be used to add variety to exercises targeted to the work the upper arms, chest and shoulders. Large inflated exercise balls provide an effective workout for the whole body. See "Resources" below for an exercise ball workout designed for children, using light weights for strength training.