If you look at today's kids and think they don't get enough exercise, you are definitely not alone. In fact, many complain that kids today just don't get enough exercise. In fact, many kids may go weeks or even months without playing outside for a significant amount of time, instead watching many hours of television every week. These lifestyle changes are often seen as unhealthy and unnatural. Plus, your kids are subjected to hours of advertising for nearly every product imaginable, including of course nearly every modern toy on store shelves. The blame for children's sedentary lifestyle is often placed on television, computers, and video games, but there is something you can do to counteract this: get toys that promote active, outdoor participation.

Classic toys of the 1950's are a great, classic example of toys that promote just this kind of exercise. They don't have batteries, meaning that they are completely kid-powered. Plus, they don't produce the loud noises and blinking lights of many modern toys, making them a good choice for many parents who are seeking to transport their family simpler time before every toy in the toy box made its own flashing lights and sounds.

Jump ropes and sidewalk chalk are two simple and inexpensive ways to get your kids to outside, since there is simply no way to use these in the house. They require creativity and exercise, and can be enjoyed for much less than the battery-powered toys found on modern toy store shelves. Another example of such a toy is the hula hoop, which has been around for decades. There is even a hula hoop mini-game in the video game Wii Fit, if you just can't get your kids away from their video games but still want to make sure they get enough exercise. One of the greatest things about hula hoops, chalk, and jump ropes is that you can have a wide supply on hand for your kids, unlike many battery-powered toys that are too expensive to buy in multiples.

Pedal cars are another wonderful example of a classic toy that is making a comeback. This entirely child-powered car is a great way to give young children exercise, and they'll love pedaling on the sidewalks in their very own car. These toys can be especially fun if you owned such a pedal car when you were a child yourself; many of the very same models you may have had as a kid are again available to purchase for your own children. Your young kids will want to spend all of their free time outside with toys like pedal cars or bicycles.

These classic 1950s toys are much simpler than many toys of today, and can be a great alternative if you're looking for something that lacks batteries and reminds you of a simpler time. Even without batteries, the children of today find these classic toys just as fun as you may have when you were a child yourself, or even as your parents did when they were kids. If you want to make sure that your children develop a creative mind and get plenty of exercise, these 1950s-era toys are among the best you can find.