In a world that is extremely app-heavy and values the most cutting-edge technology, it makes sense to explore some of the best apps to keep kids fit and active today.
In fact, the American Medical Association reports that less than 25% of kids in America aren’t getting the appropriate amount of exercise each day.
Ironically, this increase in a sedentary lifestyle is due to the amount of technology that has infiltrated their daily life (e.g., T.V., cellphones, video games, etc.).
So why then recommend a technology-based way to get them moving? The buy-in!
Especially if they already have a cellphone, you can utilize their interest in their phones by downloading an app or two to help keep them moving.
In this article, we’ve selected 5 of the best apps to keep kids fit and active for this upcoming year. Who knows, you may even want to join in with them!
Contents
Suggested readings
- Keeping your kids active: A review of Garmin’s Vívofit jr. 3
- Toobur Fitness Tracker for Kids, is it worth it?
- Fitbit Ace 3 VS Garmin vivofit jr. 3: what’s the best activity tracker for your kids?
- 7 best free physical education apps for teachers
5 of the best apps to keep kids fit and active
We all innately know that staying active is one of the key factors in maintaining your overall health – no matter if you’re 6 or 60!
By using one or even a few apps to keep kids fit and active, we’re ultimately setting up good habits that they hopefully carry with them for the rest of their life.
Getting the recommended amount of physical activity also directly combats the risk of many diseases and conditions like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease (to name a few)
1. Morning Exercises for Kids
First up on our list is a highly-rated and wonderfully animated app explicitly designed with kids in mind.
The app is simple and engaging, which is perfect for kids. It even comes off as more of a fun game, which, honestly, we all enjoy!
It’s rated for kids ages 6-8 years but ultimately says anyone 4+ and older can use it.
Your child is guided through their workouts by a cheerful avatar who demonstrates the exercises and does them with you!
As you progress through the workout, you’ll get more and more gold stars crossed off, which offers little ones a sense of accomplishment, but it also lets you know how many more exercises you have in the program.
It really is that simple! We love this as one of the best apps to keep kids fit and active because it is free for all to use. No in-app purchases are required.
Morning Exercises for Kids is available for both iOS and Android devices.
2. Swork-It Kids
We love this app and even featured it in our article for the best apps that physical education teachers can use.
Whether you want to use this app at school in P.E., or home in your living room, it motivates your kids to move. Plus, they’ll have a lot of fun doing it!
Based on the Swork-It app originally designed for adults, the kid version has also seen great success!
The exercise routines are designed for elementary and middle school students, but kids of all ages can use it.
The app focuses on strength, agility, flexibility, and balance which are important areas of focus for a growing body. Some of the popular moves in the app include the crab crawl, squats, jumping jacks, and agility courses.
Swork-It even allows you to customize the workout length from 5-60 minutes, so it’s perfect no matter how much time you have to fit in a workout.
The best thing yet is that all kids’ content is 100% free!
Swork-It Kids is available for both iOS and Android devices.
3. GoNoodle
This app is quirky, engaging, and focused on getting kids to move. GoNoodle is an excellent option to keep kids fit and active in creative ways that aren’t just focused on rote exercises.
The app provides educational videos that explore the following:
- Dance
- Sports
- Exercise
- Yoga
- Stretching
- Deep breathing
- Mindfulness
This app is mainly geared toward younger-aged kids (4-10 years). However, some middle schoolers may enjoy sports, yoga, and mindfulness videos.
I also personally love how this app incorporates mindfulness in addition to physical activity. Taking care of our mental health, even for young kids, is crucial for a healthy life.
GoNoodle posts new videos weekly, so your child never runs out of new and engaging activities. They even boast that an average of 667 million “movement minutes” are used each month on the app.
If you’re looking for one of the most creative and engaging apps to keep kids fit and active, GoNoodle is one of the best.
The app is free and available for both iOS and Android devices.
4. Super Stretch Yoga
Yoga was previously never thought of as an activity for kids. However, it has gained increasing popularity among younger generations in recent years!
Super Stretch Yoga is a fun and engaging yoga app for kids, but the whole family can really enjoy it.
Super Stretch is the character on the app which guides you and your child through yoga poses, play, and breathing exercises as you learn how to increase your balance, posture, strength, and relaxation.
The app utilizes storytelling, animations, and video examples that help encourage kids and keep them engaged with their yoga program.
Super Stretch Yoga features:
- 12 yoga poses for all skill levels
- Animated flashcards and live demonstrations
- Breathing breaks
- Accompanying music for each pose and program
- Ability to earn stars and awards
The app is free and is available for both iOS and Android devices.
5. Nike Training Club
Nike is a world-renowned name in the sports and fitness world. Their app, Nike Training Club, comes with amazing reviews and is free!
This particular app would probably best suit older kids in the middle school or high school age range due to the app’s more advanced routines and types of workouts.
With the Nike Training Club app, your teen can access Nike’s expert trainers, tailor-made workouts, and nutrition and wellness advice. Remembering to highlight nutrition for growing teenagers is foundational to their overall health and development.
Nike’s key features include:
- Daily yoga classes
- Core and strength workouts
- Home-specific workouts with minimal equipment for small spaces
- Quick fitness for workouts under 20 minutes
- HIIT workouts
- Stretching and gentle movement videos
- Wellness and nutrition advice
So no matter if they want a guided workout at their local gym or a quick workout in their garage, the Nike Training Club app has all the options.
The app is available for both iOS and Android devices.
Final thoughts
Our health and wellness are so important, but it takes work. If we can build healthy habits when kids are young, they have a better chance of keeping those habits as they age.
We created a list of diverse apps to keep kids fit and active, so no matter if they’re six or sixteen, there’s an app for them.
Which app on our list do you think would be your child’s favorite?
