Go outside – and take the kids with you! Lots of children have fun to run and like to imitate mum and dad. Cheering is cool, but go running yourself is even better! We have some tipps for you how to get your offspring start running.

  • Select a nice and diversified course. Kids would like to discover – enable it! Of course you do not have to marvel at every single flower along the course. But some side trips at an exciting spot in the forest or a minute letting the kids feel how cold the water in the creek is are possible.
  • The slowest child is the pace maker. Impatient siblings can run sprints in between and run small loops not to loose fun. But it is more important not to overcharge them.
  • Chatting creates ease. Take care of a running pace where your child can still chat with you and talk about things that you see along the course. To the end it will probably become more or less a monologue of you when the powers of the children cease. Tell an exciting story then.
  • Ambitions are for competitions, in training sessions fun should be the focus! It is no good idea to already impose pressure to perform early. The child will probably set targets for itself after some time to test. If not, do not force it. On the other hand a prospective kids or pupils run – even virtually – can be a good motivation for the training.
  • Do not overcharge. When grouching begins some hundred metres might still be possible – but trying to finish the run by hook or by crook can be contraproductive in this case. You can even jeopardise the kids. Therefore, select a course that you could shorten without problems or where the way back home/back to the car is not too far.
  • Celebrate your kid for its success – even when you think this success is just small! A hot chocolate with cream after the shower or the favourite movie in the evening as reward will additionally be remembered positively.

And what about you? Of course a real training session is not possible with the kids. Please keep this in mind. But what about this: When your partner (or grandma, grandpa, babysitter … ) can take over the kids after the mutual run you are already warmed up for your own training session afterwards. And even if not: In the long run it can be a nice thing for the whole family when you can convey the fun for running for your daughter or son and retain it.