Healthy Living :: Exercise

Parents, Get Your Kids Moving!

(Make sure all activities are safe and appropriate for your children. Consult your physician prior to beginning any exercise program.)

The percentage of children who are overweight has tripled since the 1970s! Why? Our children are less active than ever before and they eat large portions of high-calorie foods. This epidemic of overweight has dangerous consequences. One example is the increase in children diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, a disease that used to commonly affect adults over the age of 45. Overweight is a main contributor to Type 2 diabetes. Children who are overweight are also more likely to be overweight as adults who are then at risk for developing diseases and disabilities such as heart disease, various cancers, and orthopedic problems.

Children in the U.S. spend less than 15 minutes a day exercising, but spend almost 20% of their waking hours watching TV. The older the child, the less active they become. And activity levels vary among minorities as well. Hispanic and Asian girls, for example, are less active than their African-American and Caucasian peers.

In order to give your children the best chance of staying healthy and fit, make sure they get adequate activity every day. Here are some guidelines and tips to help.

How Much Activity?

Toddlers: 1 1/2 hours each day (30 minutes planned activity and 60 minutes unstructured physical activity or free play)
Preschoolers: minimum 2 hours activity a day (60 minutes planned activity and 60 minutes unstructured or free play)
School age (through age 18): 1 hour or more each day (60 minutes can be broken up into bouts of 15 minutes or more)

What Kinds of Activity?

Endurance: activity that increases the heart rate for a continuous period of time

Examples: running, kicking a ball, swimming, soccer, skating, bicycling, basketball, tennis, jumping rope

Strength: activity that helps build muscles

Examples: push-ups, pull-ups, gymnastics, climbing, wrestling

Flexibility: activity that allows muscles to move around a joint through a full range of motion

Examples: stretching, bending, reaching

How Can You Help?

The Centers for Disease Control recommends these tips:

Model healthy behavior to show your children that exercise is important. Adults need at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily. Staying active encourages your children to play and be physically active too.
Make sure that the activity is age appropriate and that protective gear is available (helmets, knee pads, etc.).
Help children choose activities they enjoy – team sports, individual sports, or recreational activities are all good choices. Let children guide the choice. The more fun they have, the more likely they are to repeat that behavior.
Encourage your children when they try new activities and use positive reinforcement when they are active.
Play along with your children and bring them to places where they can be active (parks, playgrounds, other recreational facilities).
Limit television, computer, and video game time (no more than two hours a day, for example).\

Family Fun

Remember that you are your child’s best role model for a healthy lifestyle. Doing things together as a family is a great way to stay active, have fun, and enjoy family time. Here are some ideas to get your family active.

Use pedometers to count the number of steps you take in a day

Shoot hoops together
Take your pet for a walk
Plant a flower or vegetable garden
Walk to school together (see www.walktoschool.org for information and suggestions)
Play soccer together
Do a bike-a-thon or walk-a-thon and train for it as a family
Jump rope with your children
Use a hoola-hoop
Take family walks after dinner
Join a health club or your local “Y”
Play tennis
Go for a hike

Play Frisbee “golf” (replacing golf holes with targets)

Helpful Resources

For more information on children and physical activity, visit the following helpful websites:

(Inclusion of any website link or resource accessed through a link does not imply endorsement by Ledge Light Health District. Seek the advice of a health care provider before you act or rely on any information from these