BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuExercise and activity - childrenChildren should have many chances to play, run, bike, and play sports during the day. They should get 60 minutes of moderate activity every day.Moderate activity makes your breathing and heartbeat speed up. Some examples are:Walking fast Playing chase or tag Playing basketball and most other organized sports (such as soccer, swimming, and dancing) Younger children cannot stick with the same activity as long as an older child. They may be active at one activity for only 10 to 15 minutes at a time. The goal is still to get 60 minutes of total activity every day.Why Exercise?Children who exercise:Feel better about themselves Are more physically fit Have more energy Other benefits of exercise for children are: A lower risk for heart disease and diabetes Heart diseaseCoronary heart disease is a narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is also called co...Read Article Now Book Mark Article DiabetesDiabetes is a long-term (chronic) disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Healthy bone and muscle growth Staying at a healthy weightHealthy weightWhen children eat more than they need, their bodies store the extra calories in fat cells to use for energy later. If their bodies do not need this ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Getting StartedSome kids enjoy being outside and active. Others would rather stay inside and play video games or watch TV. If your child does not like sports or physical activity, look for ways to motivate them. These ideas may help children become more active.Let children know that being active will give them more energy, make their bodies stronger, and make them feel better about themselves. Give encouragement for physical activity and help children believe they can do it. Be their role model. Start being more active if you are not already active yourself. Start being more activeExperts recommend getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week with a target of 150 minutes per week. If you have a busy s...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Make walking a part of your family's daily routine. Get good walking shoes and rain jackets for the wet days. Do not let rain stop you. Go for walks together after dinner, before turning on the TV or playing computer games. Take your family to community centers or parks where there are playgrounds, ball fields, basketball courts, and walking paths. It is easier to be active when people around you are active. Encourage indoor activities such as dancing to your child's favorite music.Find a Good MatchOrganized sports and daily activities are good ways for your child to get exercise. You will have better success if you select activities that fit your child's preferences and abilities.Individual activities include swimming, running, skiing, or biking. Group sports are another option, such as soccer, football, basketball, karate, or tennis. Choose an exercise that works well for your child's age. A 6-year-old may play outside with other kids, while a 16-year-old may prefer to run at a track. Daily activities can use as much, or more, energy than some organized sports. Some everyday things your child can do to be active include:Walk or bike to school. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Ride a bike with family or friends. Take the dog for a walk. Play outside. Shoot a basketball or kick and throw a ball around, for instance. Play in the water, at a local pool, in a water sprinkler, or splashing in puddles. Dance to music. Skate, ice-skate, skateboard, or roller-skate. Do household chores. Sweep, mop, vacuum, or load the dishwasher. Take a family walk or hike. Play computer games that involve moving your whole body. Rake leaves and jump in the piles before bagging them up. Mow the lawn. Weed the garden. Open ReferencesReferencesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention website. CDC healthy schools: school health guidelines. www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/npao/strategies.htm. Updated February 15, 2021. Accessed April 25, 2023.Cooper DM, Bar-Yoseph Ronen, Olin JT, Random-Aizik S. Exercise and lung function in child health and disease. In: Wilmott RW, Deterding R, Li A, Ratjen F, et al, eds. Kendig's Disorders of the Respiratory Tract in Children. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 12.Gahagan S. Overweight and obesity. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 60.AllVideoImagesTogA Closer Look Exercise - InDepth(In-Depth)Asthma in children and adolescents - InDepth(In-Depth)Weight control and diet - InDepth(In-Depth)Obesity(Alt. Medicine)Epilepsy - InDepth(In-Depth)Pneumonia - InDepth(In-Depth)Diabetes - type 2 - InDepth(In-Depth)Diabetes(Alt. Medicine)Rheumatoid arthritis(Alt. Medicine)Common cold (Alt. Medicine)Talking to your MD Concussion in children - what to ask your doctorSelf Care Exercise and activity - childrenCauses and risks for obesity in childrenExercise-induced asthmaHow to avoid overheating during exerciseManaging your blood sugarMetatarsal stress fractures - aftercareChanging your sleep habitsUnderstanding the DASH dietAchilles tendon rupture - aftercareDementia - daily care Tests for Exercise and activity - children Growth hormone suppression testRelated Information Review Date: 4/13/2023 Reviewed By: Stefania Manetti, RD/N, CDCES, RYT200, My Vita Sana LLC - Nourish and heal through food, San Jose, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. 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Exercise and activity - childrenChildren should have many chances to play, run, bike, and play sports during the day. They should get 60 minutes of moderate activity every day.Moderate activity makes your breathing and heartbeat speed up. Some examples are:Walking fast Playing chase or tag Playing basketball and most other organized sports (such as soccer, swimming, and dancing) Younger children cannot stick with the same activity as long as an older child. They may be active at one activity for only 10 to 15 minutes at a time. The goal is still to get 60 minutes of total activity every day.Why Exercise?Children who exercise:Feel better about themselves Are more physically fit Have more energy Other benefits of exercise for children are: A lower risk for heart disease and diabetes Heart diseaseCoronary heart disease is a narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is also called co...Read Article Now Book Mark Article DiabetesDiabetes is a long-term (chronic) disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Healthy bone and muscle growth Staying at a healthy weightHealthy weightWhen children eat more than they need, their bodies store the extra calories in fat cells to use for energy later. If their bodies do not need this ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Getting StartedSome kids enjoy being outside and active. Others would rather stay inside and play video games or watch TV. If your child does not like sports or physical activity, look for ways to motivate them. These ideas may help children become more active.Let children know that being active will give them more energy, make their bodies stronger, and make them feel better about themselves. Give encouragement for physical activity and help children believe they can do it. Be their role model. Start being more active if you are not already active yourself. Start being more activeExperts recommend getting at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week with a target of 150 minutes per week. If you have a busy s...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Make walking a part of your family's daily routine. Get good walking shoes and rain jackets for the wet days. Do not let rain stop you. Go for walks together after dinner, before turning on the TV or playing computer games. Take your family to community centers or parks where there are playgrounds, ball fields, basketball courts, and walking paths. It is easier to be active when people around you are active. Encourage indoor activities such as dancing to your child's favorite music.Find a Good MatchOrganized sports and daily activities are good ways for your child to get exercise. You will have better success if you select activities that fit your child's preferences and abilities.Individual activities include swimming, running, skiing, or biking. Group sports are another option, such as soccer, football, basketball, karate, or tennis. Choose an exercise that works well for your child's age. A 6-year-old may play outside with other kids, while a 16-year-old may prefer to run at a track. Daily activities can use as much, or more, energy than some organized sports. Some everyday things your child can do to be active include:Walk or bike to school. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Ride a bike with family or friends. Take the dog for a walk. Play outside. Shoot a basketball or kick and throw a ball around, for instance. Play in the water, at a local pool, in a water sprinkler, or splashing in puddles. Dance to music. Skate, ice-skate, skateboard, or roller-skate. Do household chores. Sweep, mop, vacuum, or load the dishwasher. Take a family walk or hike. Play computer games that involve moving your whole body. Rake leaves and jump in the piles before bagging them up. Mow the lawn. Weed the garden. Open ReferencesReferencesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention website. CDC healthy schools: school health guidelines. www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/npao/strategies.htm. Updated February 15, 2021. Accessed April 25, 2023.Cooper DM, Bar-Yoseph Ronen, Olin JT, Random-Aizik S. Exercise and lung function in child health and disease. In: Wilmott RW, Deterding R, Li A, Ratjen F, et al, eds. Kendig's Disorders of the Respiratory Tract in Children. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 12.Gahagan S. Overweight and obesity. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 60.