Government Guidelines
Under Five's: 180 minutes - 3 hours - each day, once a child is able to walk http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Documents/children-under-5-walking.pdf
Children and young people (5-18 year olds): 60 minutes and upto several hours every day of moderate to vigourous intensity physical activity. Three days a week should include vigourous intensity activities that strengthen muscle and bone. http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Documents/children-and-young-people-5-18-years.pdf
The Many Benefits of Exercise
"28.5% (2.5 million) of children aged 2-10 years are overweight/obese" - National Statistics Archive
Everyone can benefit from regular exercise. Kids who are active will:
- have stronger muscles and bones
- have a leaner body because exercise helps control body fat
- be less likely to become overweight
- decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
- possibly lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels
- have a better outlook on life
Besides enjoying the health benefits of regular exercise, kids who are physically fit sleep better and are better able to handle physical and emotional challenges - from running to catch a bus to studying for a test.
The Three Elements of Fitness
If you've ever watched kids on a playground, you've seen the three elements of fitness in action when they:
- run away from the kid who's "it" (endurance)
- cross the monkey bars (strength)
- bend down to tie their shoes (flexibility)
Parents should encourage their kids to do a variety of activities so that they can work on all three elements.
"Preschoolers have a lot of energy, and they use it in a more organized way than when they were toddlers. Instead of just running around in the backyard, a preschooler has the physical skills and coordination to ride a tricycle or chase a butterfly.Preschoolers are also discovering what it means to play with a friend instead of just alongside another child, as toddlers do. By being around other kids, a preschooler gains important social skills, such as sharing and taking turns. Despite occasional disputes, preschoolers learn to cooperate and interact during play." - KidsHealth
"Most children are naturally active and full of energy. However, as many of today's pastimes are inactive, such as watching TV and playing computer games, many children do not get the exercise they need. It is now recommended that children under 5 years get at least 3 hours of physical activity a day and children 5 to 18 years a minimum of 60 minutes to several hours of physical activity a day. This does not have to be all in one go; it can be in chunks of about 15-20 minutes throughout the day. Your child's exercise should be of moderate to vigourous intensity, which means that following exercise they should be slightly out of breath and slightly sweaty, but not so out of breath that they cannot talk. This amount of exercise a day is enough to strengthen bones and muscles and can help prevent children putting on weight." - NHS