Most of Australia's kids are quickly becoming couch potatoes, with only 19 percent of children ages 5 to 17 getting the recommended amount of exercise each day. This is according to Active Healthy Kids Australia's "2014 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Young People."

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare warns the public of the dangers of physical inactivity and says that it is a major risk factor for developing illnesses. People who do not get sufficient exercise are at a greater risk for cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, colon and breast cancers, and osteoporosis.

Fortunately, everybody is born active, according to Dr. Jeff Walkley, an exercise specialist for children from Melbourne's RMIT University. Some children become lazy because of the experiences they were provided, but these can still be changed and parents need to take an active parenting role to get them moving, addsWalkley.

Here are 10 things you can do to encourage your kids to get off the couch and be more active.

Tip #1: Try activities other than organized sports.

Not all kids are athletic and are drawn to organized sports like basketball, baseball or soccer. Try to look for other activities that your kid might enjoy, like swimming, dancing, wall climbing or martial arts. Be patient; keep trying. It might take some time before your kid settles on an activity that he really enjoys.

Tip #2: Take a non-negotiable stance.

Establish in your home that getting regular exercise is good for their health and overall well-being, just like brushing their teeth, going to school or wearing seatbelts. Don't let your child argue the merits of watching TV or playing video games over playing kickball or soccer.

Tip#3: Set a limit on screen time.

Screen time refers to the time spent watching television, surfing the Internet or playing video games. The Australian guidelines for screen time recommends that children ages 5 to 17 years should accumulate no more than 2 hours of screen time, 2 to 5 year olds no more than an hour of accumulated screen time, and children younger than 2 years old should not spend time watching television or any other electronic media.

Despite these guidelines, many kids spend 4 hours or more on screen time each day. Help your kids fill in their time in other ways by suggesting active alternatives, such as playing tag, walking the dog, or playing Frisbee at the local park.

Set rules such as a shut-off time and stick by it, or assifn certain days of the week as TV-free days or computer-free days. Keep the television in a shared space where its use can be easily be supervised -- not in the bedroom. And if you have teenagers, set guidelines on sedentary activities like surfing the Internet, chatting and texting.

Tip #4: Set an example.

Your kids aren't likely to respect the restrictions that you set on their screen time if they see you aren't doing the same. Check your own viewing behavior and add in physical activities in your everyday routine. Take a walk instead of taking the car in short trips, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk the dog and participate in active activities that you like and let your kids know how much you enjoy doing them.

Tip #5: Join in your kids' activities.

Encourage your kids' fitness by taking part in their activities. Take them on a hike, walk them to school, play catch or send up a kite flying. It doesn't take a fancy or expensive equipment to encourage your kids to be more active.

Tip #6: Bring a friend.

Peer relationships are important and quite influential to kids. You can use this to motivate your child to engage in an activity by inviting a friend for a dip in the pool, a bike ride or ice skating. Young kids love to play in the playground with friends to chase, climb or slide with. Your teenager would most likely check a team sport or an outdoor activity with a friend in tow.

Tip#7: Support their efforts by giving positive feedback.

Respond positively to your kid's efforts. Praise him for biking further than the last time or tell him his pass is getting better each time. Encourage and praise them even for reaching small goals. Their efforts to be active deserve more notice than the outcome itself.

Tip #8: Use exercise as positive reinforcement.

Don't use exercise as a form of punishment, like making him run or do pushups if he doesn't do his homework. Instead, use exercise as a reward. Offer him 20 minutes of kickball as a sort of break from homework.

Tip #9: Put your kids in charge of their fitness plans.

Let them plan their activities for the weekend or after school. The adventurous ones may choose a climb up the jungle gym, the nature lovers may choose a hike, and the sedentary ones might enjoy a breezy bike ride in the park. Allowing them to do this gives your child a sense of control over the situation.

Tip #10: Make it fun.

Kids are kids and they'll respond more easily to physical activities if there's an element of fun in it. Little kids need no encouragement to hop like a frog, stretch like a cat or run like a leopard. Middle-aged kids still enjoy free play after hours of sitting inside the classroom and you can entice teenagers to move about with a dance video game.