Fun Elastic Band Exercises for Kids

Elastic band resistance training helps build muscles. Proponents say that it exercises more areas than weightlifting and is easier to store or take with you on trips. The bands can easily be used in a small apartment or in a child's room where other equipment might be too bulky or the activities too noisy. You can make it fun by introducing elements of play. Observe good safety practices for the best benefits for your child, and always consult your child's physician before letting her begin an exercise program.

  1. Calisthenics

    • Use elastic bands to augment a regular calisthenics program. Show your child how to place a stretchy exercise band under his feet and stretch up as tall as he can, pulling up on the band. Tell him to resist the band so that it pulls him back down slowly. Have him place the stretchy band under his left foot and pull to the right and up as if raising an ax to chop wood. Ask him to repeat on the other side with the band under his right foot.

    Partner Up

    • Sit flat on the floor facing each other with your legs stretched wide and the soles of your feet touching. Hold onto a stretchy band and take turns lying down on your back, then letting your partner pull you back up. Create some variations on this theme by sitting up and have one team member pull back and to the left, while the other pulls to the right. Time yourselves to see how slowly you can release back to resting position.

    Make It Fun

    • If you are working with a group of youngsters, use the stretchy bands to connect partners for a race. Establish activity events along the race course where they need to stop and do an activity that requires using their elastic exercise band at each station. Help your child create a calisthenics routine that you set to his favorite music. Create a reward system for exercising consistently and safely for a set amount of time. Let him spend his exercise points for something that he really wants.

    Remember Safety

    • WebMD reminds parents and educators that, even though most modern kids need to move more, all children need breaks from physical activities. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids playing organized sports have at least 1 day off each week from practice. They also recommend that they have 3 months out of every year where they are not playing organized sports. For a regular exercise program, 2 or 3 nights a week is fine. Start gradually, increasing the activity no more than 10 percent in a week.

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