Make Exercise Part of Your Child’s Life

According to the Center for Disease Control, physical activity for children has an abundance of benefits. It boosts overall health and academic performance, improves attention span and memory, helps maintain normal blood sugar levels to decrease the risk of diabetes and obesity, promotes heart and lung health, and strengthens bones and muscle.

So, how much exercise do your kids actually need? The American Medical Association recommends preschoolers should be physically active throughout the day while children and youth from ages 6 through 17 should participate in 60 or more minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day. That hour of activity should include aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and bone-strengthening exercise.   

Aerobic activity is anything that increases heartrate. Bone-strengthening activities include running, hopping, or jumping, while climbing or push-ups are muscle-strengthening. 

Many of their favorite physical activities can include all three! Daily basketball practice or a gymnastics class combines vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise while strengthening bone and muscle. 

Use the ‘talk test’ to measure intensity. At moderate intensity, kids can talk but not sing. At vigorous intensity, children can only say a few words without pausing for a breath. 

Not every kid participates in sports or has access to a gym. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has created the Move Your Way guide to help you get your kids moving before, during, and after school. 

Physical activity can be fun! Basketball, bike riding, or chore-based activities like washing the car, raking leaves, or walking the dog, are all acceptable ways to get exercise. Get the whole family involved with a walk after dinner or a jumping jacks contest during a commercial break.

Use these tips for better school performance and better overall health for your kids!