I recall as a small child going outside to play with friends and neighbors from morning til night. Often I would even skip meals because I wanted to continue whatever activity I was engrossed in at the time.

However, nowadays our surroundings and situations have changed so much that parents can no longer trust that children playing outside will be safe without supervision. 

Each week, my three-year-old and I attend a children's gymnastics class at a local fitness center. My son absolutely loves this class, and it's his hands-down favorite of all the activities we do together. He looks forward to going to gymnastics every week and asks almost daily if today is the day he gets to go to class. 

I am thrilled that he enjoys this activity so much. He gets to play and be active while learning to pay attention to his instructors, follow simple directions, and develop his agility and balance. And as we participate in this activity each week, I've gotten to thinking about other low-cost ways to support our children in being more active in their daily lives:

• Make family time an activity time.
• Consider walking or biking to do errands instead of always taking the car.
• Find local hiking trails to enjoy with your children.
• Join a group that focuses on physical activity, such as the YMCA or a hiking club.
• Invite one of your children's friends to participate in your next activity.

Remember to make activity fun for your children and, as a parent, be your children's role model by keeping active yourself.