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Paul Neville

Getting Kids Fit in a Fun Way

By Kelly Burgess

Neville knows that as the kids get older it's going to be harder to keep their fitness goals as a group, but he and Leanne have already made some commitments they hope to keep as their children grow.

"For us, Sunday is family day and we're determined to keep it that way even as the kids get involved in their own activities," says Neville. "We want to travel and hike and do activities that are really fun, but also keep us active. These are also things we can grow with."

Having that inviolate family day set aside is important to Neville with his tough work schedule, but he doesn't worry that the kids are sitting around the television when he's not there. Leanne keeps them all moving with her fun fitness approach, and they usually are doing something active like swimming.

Even if they do have the TV on, they might just be found bouncing and bopping to dad's new show. KID FITNESS is an idea that just seems perfect for kids' bodies and their imaginations. Neville says he got the idea for the show when his daughter was little and her attention was always caught by animals on television shows. He noticed how the animals seemed to have natural movements that mimicked our fitness moves such as knee bends, stretching and hopping. That's why the show features characters playing animals and encouraging children to make those moves.

It's important to Neville to get kids involved in fitness when they're young because as a trainer he's seen the affect that it has on adults.

"When I'm working with someone, I always notice that they do so much better if at some time in their past they've been fit and active," says Neville. "I just think that getting kids fit when they're young will serve them well all their lives."