It might pain you to think you have to encourage kids to get off their butts and move around. Once you get past that, you’ll enjoy the energy and fun of “The Busy Body Book: A Kid’s Guide to Fitness” by Lizzy Rockwell (Crown Books for Young Readers, $15.95).
On the pages of this book, which is designed for preschoolers through 3rd graders, kids stretch on yoga mats, zip along on inline skates, twist and bop to the sounds of portable CD players, skip rope, walk dogs and tear around on a soccer field. The text describes in simple terms how the body works. Also, colorful diagrams describe body parts such as the skeleton, muscles, the brain and nerves, and the heart and blood vessels. The concepts are kept simple, but the language, attitude and illustrations aren’t babyish or insulting to kids.
Parents are brought into the game at book’s end. There, they’ll find suggestions to get their kids moving, including stretching and breathing exercises and a list of activities, from playing tag to carrying groceries.
On the control center: “Inside your skull sits your incredible brain. Your brain controls every move you make and thinks your thoughts. It gets information about the world from your five senses.”