CHILD'S PLAY: GAMES TEACH BENEFITS OF EXERCISE

Hula hoops and bouncing balls sound more like toys than tools, but they are helping some local children learn the benefits of exercise.

By using simple, everyday objects, children can learn how to have fun and get some exercise at the same time.

The Southeast Hospital Wellness Center offers step-aerobics, dancing, singing and activities with hoops and parachutes during the its fitness classes.

Sophie Mason, 9, tries to get some exercise every day. She often rides her bike, plays in the schoolyard or exercises in the basement to keep fit. She has attended two of the Kidstep classes.

But Sophie is probably a bit of an exception in an era of Nintendo warriors and couch potatoes.

"By about age 6 or 10, children are set in their ways and if they aren't active then, they won't become active later in life," instructor Scott Givens said.

Children younger than 13 need to stay active but it's usually not a problem, he said.

As long as children run or play and do anything to stay active, they will stay fit, he said.

To keep children fit and healthy, Southeast Hospital is offering fitness classes each week at the West Park Mall.

"We show them the proper ways to stretch and work the muscles to get stronger," he said.

The classes emphasize exercise that's fun with the aid of aerobics and songs.

Mark and Nikki Egbuka attended their first class Tuesday and decided exercising wasn't too hard after all.

The siblings get most of their exercise from riding bikes in the summer, Mark said.

The Wellness Center offers the following classes through its "Kids `Bee' Fit" fitness program: KidStep for children age 6 through 12 on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:15 p.m., and Romp 'N' Stomp for children ages 2 through 5 on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 10:30 a.m.

The classes are held between the Tilt and Kay Jewelers in the J.C. Penney wing of the mall. Each session costs $1.

The average class size for Romp 'N' Stomp is about 30 children. Classes offered through Main Street Fitness usually average from 15 to 20 children. Although the class is open to the public, day-care classes often fill it up, Givens said.

"They always love the parachute and obstacle course and the balls that hop around," he said. "They like anything as long as it's fun."

Sometimes the instructors also visit area day cares and provide exercise activities there.

"It's fun for them and they enjoy it," Givens said. "We teach them health skills about the bones and muscles and go over food groups." Sometimes the groups even make healthy snacks.

About 18 children from the Gingerbread House Inc. in Jackson attend a Fitness Force class each week at the Main Street Fitness Center.

"When they're not busy, they get bored," owner Beverly Banks said.

She tries to keep the children active with at least 10 to 30 minutes of exercise a day.

Chris Kitchen, a nurse at Internal Medicine Group, warns parents not to let their children have a lifestyle of just playing video games or watching television.

Although there isn't a required amount of exercise a child must get, doctors often recommend about 20 minutes a day.

"Some kids you have to motivate," she said. "We tell them about diet and how it goes along with exercise."

Most children younger than 12 will stay active for longer periods of time and any activity that gets their heart rate up is best, she said.

To help children learn about health and exercise, the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department also offers fitness classes for young children.

The Fun and Fitness class is taught in conjunction with the National Recreation and Parks Association and the President's Council on Physical Fitness.

The six-week class is offered for preschoolers, age 3 to 5 and youth age 6 to 12. The first session begins Monday and costs $12.

"We teach them how to be fit and how to have fun at the same time," recreation coordinator Penny Blandford said.

Each week of the course emphasizes a different aspect of fitness from learning about how to develop a healthy lifestyle to cooking healthy snacks.

Younger children in the fitness program design their own aerobics routine.

The classes teach children how to be healthy as a way of life, Blandford said. By starting at an earlier age, children will learn to make healthier choices.

For more information on the Wellness Center classes, call 334-9355. To register for the Fun and Fitness class, call the Parks Department at 335-5421.