For optimal health, children need an hour of physical activity every day. Although this amount can seem daunting, most children meet this goal through a combination of free play, organized sports and school PE programs. Choosing age-appropriate sports and exercise programs that appeal to your child's natural talents and interests can help your child develop a lifelong love of physical activity.
Toddlers and Preschoolers
Children under the age of 7 generally lack the eye and hand coordination for complicated sports maneuvers. Dr. Teri McCambridge, M.D, an assistant professor of pediatrics at John Hopkins School of Medicine, tells the Healthy Children website, that their exercise should be on flat surfaces with minimal directions. Free play should make up most of their exercise time at this age. Play with your child --- run, jump, swing and play simple ball games. Beginning in the preschool years, you can introduce structured games like tag and hopscotch. If you want to choose a class or program for your child, look for one with minimal structure that includes of free play time. Some good choices for this age group include dance, tumbling or swimming classes.
Ages 7 to 9
Free play should still make up the majority of your child's physical activity at this age. Bike riding, running, playground time and walking are popular activities with this age group. Due to your child's enhanced motor skills --- he can usually manage sophisticated movement patterns --- she can begin to participate in beginning team sports. Just make sure you choose a flexible, low-pressure team environment. McDonald urges parents to attend their children's games and organized sports activities as much as possible to show their support and interest and to evaluate the appropriateness of the team for their child's skills.
Organized Sports
Once your child turns 10, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests he will typically possess the physical, emotional and cognitive abilities to participate in team sports and organized sports programs. Take into account your child's interests, as well as his age, body type and emotional maturity when choosing sports programs. Since children's sizes and shapes can vary wildly throughout their pre-teen and teen years, opt for sports programs arranged by skill instead of age.
Strength Training
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends including muscle strengthening activities at least three days a week, as part of your child's regular 60-minutes-a-day of exercise. Although many kids can benefit from a regular strength-training program, gymnastics programs, as well as a regular workout plan that includes push-ups, pull-ups and stomach crunches, can also satisfy the recommendation. Children as young as 8 can safely participate in a supervised strength-training program, though the Mayo Clinic cautions that children should not participate in programs that include weight-lifting and body-building until after puberty.
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