The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that both adults and children get at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every day. Moderate-intensity exercise should make your child's heart beat a bit faster. Between school, homework and extracurricular activities, it can be hard for children to squeeze in daily exercise. By establishing consistent exercise routines, you can help your child get the right amount -- and the right types of exercise -- to help him grow and thrive.
Exercise Recommendations
The CDC suggests that your child's regular exercise consist of aerobic activity, muscle strengthening and bone strengthening. Aerobic activity, such as running, jumping or bike riding, should make up the bulk of your child's daily exercise. Try to include a vigorous-intensity activity -- one that increases your child's heart rate and causes her to breathe faster -- at least three days a week. Incorporate muscle strengthening exercise, such as push-ups or gymnastics classes, at least three times in her daily or weekly schedule. Include bone strengthening exercises, like jump roping or running, in at least three of her weekly exercise routines.
Types of Exercise
Most communities offer ample opportunities to keep your child active. Dance classes, sports teams and martial arts can all help your child fulfill his exercise requirements and keep their weight in check. If you child isn't interested in organized sports, ice skating, swimming, free play in the backyard or playground, roller skating and bowling can also make good exercise options. Once you discover your child's aptitudes, make the sport or activity a regular part of his week.
Incorporating Exercise Into the Day
The first step in helping your children to find time for exercise is to limit their daily screen time to the American Academy of Pediatrics-recommended one to two hours a day. Schedule regular family exercise sessions throughout the week, such as a daily walk or family bike ride. Challenge each member of the family to learn something new by signing up for family golf classes or a family bowling league. Encourage your children to help with chores, such as raking leaves or cleaning house. These daily living activities can strengthen his cardiovascular system, build strong bones and muscles and improve flexibility.
Additional Exercises and Considerations
Your child doesn't need to do all 60 minutes at a time to meet her daily exercise recommendations. She can get all of the same health benefits by breaking the exercise up into small chunks, but in order to meet the moderate-intensity part of the requirement, she needs to do the same activity for 10 minutes at a time.
Member Comments