From the time a child is born until they reach adulthood, the body is constantly going through periods of growth and development. An important aspect of assisting healthy development is exercise, due to the effects exercise has on not only helping build strong bones and muscles. Exercise also helps to prevent childhood obesity and the associated increased risk for health problems like diabetes and heart disease as the child progresses into adulthood.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise is one of the most important types of exercise a child should get each day of the week. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that every child get at least an hour a day of aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise helps the child develop a strong and healthy heart as well as keeps weight under control throughout the developing childhood years and into adulthood.
Strength Training Exercise
Strength training exercises also help children grow. More specifically, strength training assists in childhood muscle growth. At least three days a week of a child's exercise routine should include some form of strength training exercise, suggests the CDC. While activities like lifting weight are not necessary until around puberty, other strength training activities, such as pushups, situps or gymnastics, help a child's muscles develop and strengthen as the child matures. Once puberty is reached, you can start including light strength training activities like lifting weights into the routine as well to continue building strong muscles and supporting tissues like ligaments and tendons.
Jumping Exercises
Jumping exercises help with childhood bone development. As much as 90 percent of peak bone mass is developed by the age of 18 in girls and 20 in boys, suggests the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Jumping exercises help in this mass development through increase bone mineral density. As a child takes part in jumping exercises, stress is placed on the bone. This stress activates cells called osteoblasts to migrate to the site of stress and increase mineral density. This is a protective measure for the bone to be better suited for similar exercise in the future.
Motivating Your Child
Children do not have to exercise in a fitness center or on a piece of exercise equipment for the growth of their body to benefit from exercise. Simply keeping your child active can help. For example, enroll your child in after school sports like soccer or track to get the aerobic and bone building benefits of running. Even if your child is not into sports, you can find other physical activities to add, even video games. Invest in an interactive gaming system that tracks your child's motions. These games force children to get up and move while they play, helping increase calorie burn and adding more general exercise to their daily routine.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: How Much Physical Activity Do Children Need?
- American Heart Association: Physical Activity and Children
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases:Osteoporosis: Peak Bone Mass in Women
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Fitness for Kids
- Kids Health from Nemours: Strength Training and Your Child
- MayoClinic.com: Interactive Video Games Have a Role in Good Health; November, 2009
