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Volume 38
Children always seem to be on the move. They're wiggling, crawling, jumping, running, hopping, or skipping. It's hard to believe that even with all their moving and playing, many children do not get enough physical activity.
The Institute of Medicine says that over the past 30 years, the number of overweight preschool children, ages 2 to 5, has more than doubled, and for children 6 to 11 years, that number has tripled. Nine million children over age 6 are obese or overweight. Children's obesity is now a major national medical concern.
There can be many reasons for children being overweight. The two biggest reasons are "what they are eating" and "what they are doing." Not being active enough is one reason young children are overweight. So, how much physical activity do children really need?
The National Association for Sport and Physical Education has guidelines for children to be at their best fitness level. There are guidelines for infants and toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children as to how much physical activity is best for their health and development.
You may wonder, what kinds of physical activities do babies need? Every kind of activity with babies is important to their overall development. Every movement encourages brain activity, which, in turn, plays a part in cognitive, emotional, and social development.
For example, babies or toddlers who spend too much time in strollers, play pens, car seats, or other confined spaces, are not having the opportunities they need to explore, learn, and develop. Too much time spent not moving as a baby or toddler can lead to the habit of not being physically active.
At this age, infants need to be rolling over, crawling, walking, pulling themselves up, exploring their surroundings, interacting with parents and others. Remember activity just means doing something, not lying down or being still.
It is recommended that every day, infants should:
Toddlers and preschoolers are already active, right? They run, jump, throw, and kick. This is true, but, they have to have the chance to do all this. These skills develop because they are given time and opportunity. Too many children are not getting enough time to be physically active in child care and in school. The younger children usually want to be active - getting them to be active is usually not a problem.
It is recommended that every day, toddlers and preschoolers should:
It is important to note that children in child care need to be in settings where the child care program plans enough appropriate physical activity throughout the day. Parents should ask about what kinds of daily physical activities are planned when looking for child care.
School-age children need even more physical activity than toddlers and preschoolers. As their bodies are growing, they need more food, more energy, and more activity. Physical activity should be a part of their ordinary, everyday activities. Whether activities are structured such as gym class, or unstructured, such as raking leaves, it's all a part of what these young school-age children need to be healthy and fit. Although there is a structured physical education program in every school system, it isn't enough. Some schools only have physical education classes twice a week. Playground time is usually limited to 15 or 20 minutes at a time.
It is recommended that every day, school-age children should:
Parents (and other primary caregivers in children's lives) are the most influential people in children's lives. Being active and staying active is a prime example of where as a parent you will greatly influence your child's fitness habits. When trying to make sure your child is getting enough activity, make sure you make it a family effort. Fitness is not just doing formal exercises, it's moving and stay moving for a period of time. We can all find something we like to do that involves movement, and that's the key to being active for a lifetime.
Make family time a regular part of your day or week, and include something physically active as part of it. Try these family fun activities to keep everyone moving:
You already know that as a parent, it is not easy to find time for beneficial physical activity in your own now very busy lives. But it has never been more important because your children need to see that you see it as important (but fun). The habits children start early in life will show up later in life. The more active a child is early in life, the more likely he will be active as an adult.
Being more active does take more planning, but stick with it and you'll find that your children are in better health, will learn to like at least once activity, and you may find that you enjoy it more than you thought.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES TO DO WITH YOUR CHILD | ||
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Here are some suggestions on what physical activities would be appropriate for different age groups: | ||
INFANTS | TODDLERS/PRESCHOOLERS | YOUNG SCHOOL-AGERS |
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The Daily Parent is prepared by NACCRRA, the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, with funding from the Citi Foundation. © 2009 NACCRRA. All rights reserved.
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