Childhood Physical Activity

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children and adolescents aged 6-17 years should get at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day.

Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is any activity that gets your heart rate up and makes you sweat. Examples include walking, swimming, biking, running, jumping, playing sports, dancing, playing tag, and jumping rope.

Physical activity has many benefits for children and adolescents, including improved cardiovascular health, stronger bones and muscles, reduced risk of obesity and chronic diseases, and improved mental health and well-being.

There are a number of barriers to physical activity for children and adolescents, including lack of time, lack of access to safe places to play, negative attitudes towards physical activity, and parental concerns about safety.

Parents and caregivers can encourage physical activity in children and adolescents by being a role model for physical activity, providing opportunities for physical activity, making physical activity a family activity, and talking to your child's doctor about physical activity.

There are a number of tips for making physical activity fun for children and adolescents, including finding activities that your child enjoys, making physical activity a social activity, offering rewards for physical activity, and making physical activity a part of your child's daily routine.

There are a number of signs that your child is not getting enough physical activity, including being overweight or obese, having low energy levels, having difficulty sleeping, and having poor muscle strength and endurance.

There are a number of ways to incorporate physical activity into your child's daily routine, including walking or biking to school, playing active games with your child, encouraging your child to join a sports team or club, and making physical activity a part of your family's daily routine.

There are a number of resources that can help parents and caregivers promote physical activity in children and adolescents, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the National Physical Activity Plan, and the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition.

Schools play an important role in promoting physical activity in children and adolescents by providing opportunities for physical activity during the school day, teaching children and adolescents about the importance of physical activity, and working with parents and caregivers to promote physical activity.

Schools can provide opportunities for physical activity during the school day through recess, physical education classes, intramural sports, and walking or biking to school.

Schools can teach children and adolescents about the importance of physical activity through health education classes, school-wide physical activity programs, guest speakers, and field trips.

Schools can work with parents and caregivers to promote physical activity by sending home information about physical activity, holding family physical activity events, and working with parents and caregivers to develop school-wide physical activity policies.

Communities can promote physical activity in children and adolescents by building safe places for children and adolescents to play, offering physical activity programs for children and adolescents, and working with schools to promote physical activity.

Healthcare providers can promote physical activity in children and adolescents by talking to children and adolescents about the importance of physical activity, recommending physical activity to children and adolescents, and helping children and adolescents find physical activities that they enjoy.