Recently we have seen a rise in diseases in children that in the past had only been seen in adults. Things like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure are being seen more frequently in children. One of the best ways to combat the rise of these diseases is to make sure that your kids are getting enough physical activity. But in a time when schools are closed, playground time is limited and social distancing is being encouraged or enforced, physical activity for our children is even more of a concern.
The Department of Health and Human Services has developed guidelines recommending that youth ages 6-17 participate in 60 minutes or more of physical activity 7 days/week. This is total activity time, so 1 hour, two 30-minute sessions, or four 15-minute sessions each day would all satisfy this recommendation. Most of this activity should be at either moderate or vigorous intensity.
An easy way to distinguish vigorous vs moderate-intensity exercise is as follows:
- Moderate intensity allows you to talk but not sing during or right after the activity
- Vigorous-intensity allows you to say only a few words at a time
As part of the 60 minutes daily, it is recommended that children participate in muscle-strengthening activities 3 days/week and bone-strengthening activities 3 days/week. These are some activities that would fit into these categories that can be done at home, or in the back yard:
Muscle Strengthening Activities
- Games like tug of war
- Pushups, pull-ups, or sit-ups
- Activities like crab walking, bear walking, or wheelbarrow with a partner
Bone Strengthening Activities
- Hopscotch
- Jumping rope
- Skipping
- Sports that include jumping like basketball
- Dancing
To get and keep kids participating, physical activity should be fun and incorporated into playful activities that are age-appropriate. Create a kid friendly circuit consisting of muscle and bone-strengthening activities. Add in music, dance, and maybe some healthy competition.
Parents and care-givers – join in! Contact ProActive Physical Therapy and Sports Rehab, Inc (Iowa) today!
