Spring into Spring

Image by Pexel

As we leave winter and flu season behind, we are choosing to focus on wellness this month. One of the most important factors that impacts children’s wellness is daily physical exercise. So let’s “spring into spring” by incorporating daily physical exercise into our families routines.

Daily physical exercise or movement is essential  and necessary for children’s/teens health, wellness, and normal growth and development. In addition, daily physical exercise/movement is very important for children’s/teens cognitive health, school performance, and mental/social/emotional balance. Research has shown that adequate exercise/movement has additional far reaching health benefits in preventing cardiac disease, metabolic disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, mental disorders, and even cancer. As children get older, participating in organized or team sports can further develop their social and interpersonal skills as well as benefit their overall physical health.

Children who obtain adequate exercise show improved heart and lung function, better sleep, healthier weight management, better cognitive scores and school performance, decreased risk taking behaviors, improved muscle control, stronger bone development, and improved balance and posture.

Incorporating movement and exercise early in life builds a foundation for daily movement/exercise later in life.  Incorporating exercise as a family further strengthens the importance of exercise in a child’s/teens daily life.

According to the CDC only about 24% of children 6-17 years of age meet the minimum daily requirement for physical activity and exercise. The following is the AAP guidelines for children’s daily exercise.

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Guidelines and Ideas for incorporating daily movement/exercise:

Infants (30+minutes throughout the day)
Tummy time when awake

Toddlers (3+ hours throughout the day)
Free play or outside time 

Preschoolers (3+ hours including 1 hour moderate/vigorous activity)
Throwing, catching, or tumbling as well as free play and outside time

Elementary (60+minutes most days and include bone/muscle strengthening 3 times/week)
Free play, outside time, and beginning organized sports

Junior High (60+minutes most days and include bone/muscle strengthening 3 times/week)
Organized varied sports and organized social activities 

High School (60+minutes most days and include bone/muscle strengthening 3 times/week)
Organized sports, appropriate organized social activities, and when appropriate competitive sports

Ideas for Increasing Activity/Exercise for the Entire Family

Parking the car farther away and walking to a location 🚙
A walk or hike in the park or nature 🌳
Flying a kite 🪁
Participating in a sport or recreational games together ⚽️
Jumping on a trampoline 🤸🏽
Walking the dog🐶
Riding bikes together🚴‍♀️
Table tennis🏓
Throwing a frisbee🥏
Swimming 🏊‍♀️
Rollerskating, ice skating, or rollerblading⛸️​

References:
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/fitness/Pages/Making-Fitness-a-Way-of-Life.aspx
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/facts.htm
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/children-keeping-them-active

Are you interested in building your child's health, wellness, and immune resilience  through holistic pediatric care? Contact Wellness 4 KIDS for a FREE Pediatric Wellness Discovery Call.