Making physical activity a part of your child's day is both fun and healthy. Regular participation in physical activity is part of a healthy lifestyle and has many potential benefits, such as strong bones and muscles, improved self-esteem, and good posture. Encouraging kids to build physical activity into their daily routines helps create a pattern that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Now a days, it is not always easy to get your child moving. Kids love computers, video games and television. While these activities may be educational, children need to take part in regular physical activity for healthy physical growth and development.
How often do children need to be active?
What are the benefits of physical activity for children?
Resources & Tools (Including GO2 Recognized Schools application)
Activity Ideas, Programs & Events for Children
How often do children need to be active?
GO2 supports the Public Health Agency of Canada's recommendation that children should accumulate 90 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. In order to achieve this goal, children should increase the amount of time they spend being physically active gradually each day, even periods of 5 to 10 minutes can count towards the total. Children should also begin decreasing the time they spend watching TV, playing computer games and surfing the Internet.
The increase in physical activity should include a combination of moderate activity (such as brisk walking, skating and bike riding) and vigorous activity (such as running and playing soccer). Over several months, children should try to accumulate at least 90 minutes more physical activity per day and decrease by at least 90 minutes per day the amount of time spent on non-active activities such as watching videos and sitting at a computer.
For more information on physical activity guidelines, download:
Canada's Physical Activity Guide for Children
Alberta Health & Wellness Guide to Healthy Eating and Active Living (6 to 12 yrs.)
For school-aged children, physical activity is
- Walking the dog
- Sliding on a toboggan and walking back up the hill
- Playing tag with their friends
- Walking to school
- Riding a bicycle or going rollerblading
- Taking a trip to the zoo
- Running through a sprinkler
- Playing basketball
- Planting a garden
- Helping vacuum and dust the house
By planning a variety of activities, you will help to increase their endurance, strength and flexibility.
If you've ever watched children on a playground, you've seen these elements of fitness in action. The child:
- runs away from the kid who's "it" (cardio)
- crosses the monkey bars (strength)
- bends down to tie his or her shoes (flexibility)
What are the benefits of physical activity for children?
G02 Recognized Schools Recognition programs can provide the information, motivation and resources to get your school more active. If you are interested in promoting your physically active school, click on the link for the application form.
Plan your child's physical activity this week with the GO2 Activity Planner.
Have fun keeping track of your child's physical activity with the Physical Activity Chart, created by the Public Health Agency of Canada. To order stickers to go with the chart, click here.
For more Resources & Tools, click here.
Making physical activity FUN is the key to getting your child active and keeping them active for life. For some fun activity ideas that will get your child going, click here.
Programs & Events for Children:
City of Calgary's Recreation Guide
Calgary Boys & Girls Club - Club Information
Links
For more information on getting your child active, check out these links.