Physical activity is a vital part of keeping a child healthy and happy. The South African 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and the most recent Healthy Active Kids Report Card from South Africa in combination provide comprehensive guidelines for daily movement for children from birth to age 17.
They recommend that babies under 1 enjoy different types of physical activity, including at least 30 minutes of tummy time, toddlers 1-2 enjoy 2 ½ hours each day engaging in active play throughout the day, and 3-5 year olds engage in 2 ½ hours of energetic movement throughout the day, at least an hour of which is vigorous activity that raises the child’s heart rate. Children from 6-17 should get about an hour of moderate to intense physical activity a day.
This will look different as children get older. Before puberty, many children accomplish the desired outcomes of exercise like muscle building and bone strengthening by playing on the playground or doing a team sport. As children go through puberty, they may begin to lift weights or go on structured runs every day as energetic play time decreases. The older children get, the more exercise needs to be intentionally planned.
Children can benefit from physical activity in these ways:
Regular exercise sets the foundation for a long, healthy life in a child. It also gives children an outlet for stress and negative emotions at a young age and often gives them the chance to form healthy social relationships.
Many parents and caregivers struggle with convincing their child to exercise in the first place. Often, the harder parents push for exercise or encourage their child to move in a way they don’t enjoy, the less a child will want to exercise at all. When considering ways to motivate your child to exercise, think outside of the box. Consider these strategies for working movement into your child’s day:
Children with disabilities are more at risk of developing lifestyle disorders as adults because they do not have access to exercise spaces. South Africa recommends that children with disabilities get at least 2 and ½ hours of exercise a week, or 30 minutes of exercise a day. This promotes lifelong health, mental wellbeing, and happiness. Most often, what stops children with disabilities from exercising is the fear of how they will be perceived or lack of accessible exercise equipment.