Youth of all ages- kids, teens, and ‘tweens- need to move! Kids naturally love to run around and play. However, greater amounts of time spent sitting - in school classes, at the computer, at the TV, and in front of video games, smart phones, and iPads - are transforming kids’ love of active play into a love of sitting at screens.
This is where the Physical Activity Guidelines for Children and Adolescents come in. Physical activity must be actively promoted for our youth because it is so important for their physical and mental health, overall wellbeing, and chance of a disease-free adulthood. The Guidelines, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, tell us how much physical activity children and adolescents need for their health, what kinds of activities they should do, and how adults can help them meet these recommendations.
Children and adolescents need at least 60 minutes (1 hour) of physical activity every day for their health.
This daily hour or more of physical activity should include aerobic, muscle strengthening, and bone strengthening activities.
Aerobic: most of the 60 or more minutes of daily physical activity should be moderate to vigorous aerobic activities.
Vigorous aerobic physical activity on at least 3 days per week.
Running, walking, hopping, skipping, jumping rope, swimming, dancing, and bicycling.
Muscle Strengthening: activities or exercises to strengthen major muscle groups on at least 3 days per week.
Unstructured activities or part of play: using playground equipment, tug-of-war, climbing trees.
Strengthening exercises: calisthenics (push-ups, jumping jacks), lifting weights, using resistance bands.
Bone Strengthening: activities involving impact with the ground on at least 3 days per week to increase bone density, growth, and resilience.
Playing sports, hopscotch, and aerobic and muscle strengthening activities involving impact with the ground.
Essential for helping kids and teens to reach their peak bone mass and reduce risks of osteoporosis and fractures.
Physical activities for children and adolescents need to be age-appropriate, enjoyable, and varied.
Children: incorporate aerobic, muscle strengthening, and bone strengthening activities into active play.
Adolescents: structured aerobic, muscle strengthening, and bone strengthening activities, as well as exercise programs.
Adults need to promote and provide age-appropriate opportunities for physical activity that meet these guidelines.
Encourage active play in children.
Encourage sustained and structured physical activity in adolescents.
It is especially important to encourage activity in teens because physical activity tends to decline as children become adolescents.
Help our kids and teens meet these guidelines! Physical activity is so essential for improving their bodies, minds, and spirits, and for helping them to become healthy adults.