Getting Intellectual Kids Outside and Active

My daughter has never been fond of physical activity, nor has she been particularly good at it. She was born a thinker, not a do-er. By 16 months of age, she was already speaking in short sentences but only barely learning to walk. At four, she now reads quite well and enjoys arts and crafts, but can only jump, run, and climb as well as an average two-year-old. Knowing that my daughter's health depends on physical activity, I've made it my goal to get my little intellectual homebody up and moving.

Here are some ways I've gotten my own daughter up and moving.

1. Go for a walk somewhere intellectually stimulating.

My daughter doesn't want to go to the playground most of the time, and a walk around the neighborhood bores her. To get her walking more, I've started taking her to places such as the zoo, children's museum, and aquarium, where she can learn while moving. It's a great way to keep her active while also ensuring that she gets the mental stimulation she needs. Other good options include woodland hikes-- be sure to bring a plant identification guide-- and educational theme parks.

2. Take arts and crafts outdoors.

If your intellectual child's indoor activities revolve around arts, crafts, or writing, simply take the same activities outdoors and encourage more activity in them. For example, suggest that your child collect rocks, pine cones and leaves to make a collage, or encourage her to make the biggest sidewalk chalk drawing ever. (Hint: an unused tennis court is a great canvas for the latter.) These activities can keep kids active while helping them enjoy their usual forms of learning and play.

3. Get your child involved in make-believe outdoor games.

Bookish kids who are inclined toward intellectualism tend to shy away from games like tag and hide-and-seek, at least when compared to their peers. They often enjoy make-believe more. My daughter was much more active outdoors when I introduced her to games like, "Let's pretend I'm a tyrannosaurus and you're a stegosaurus!" and "Let's pretend we're stranded in the woods. What can we do to survive?" These kinds of games are more fun for kids like mine because they introduce imagination and critical thinking to the outdoor play.

4. Encourage creative exploration.

Kids like mine don't do well when we simply toss them outside and tell them to "go play." They want a task and a goal. Encourage your child to pick a bouquet of five different kinds of flowers, to climb up at least four tree branches, or to collect ten "magic" items for a fantasy scavenger hunt. By giving your child specific tasks, you'll have her exploring, observing, and thinking-- all of which are good for her mind and body.

Some children simply aren't inclined toward active outdoor play, but even those of us with "thinker" kids need to make sure our children are getting sufficient exercise, fresh air, and sunlight. By making the most of your child's individual needs and preferences, you can ensure better health and happiness without forcing her into unwanted activities.

How do you get your thinker-kid off the couch?