Undertaking physical activity and maintaining physical fitness is vital for children, as well as adults. It is recommended that children are physically active for a minimum of an hour each day. However, this does not have to be sixty minutes of continuous activity.
Exercise should be combined with a healthy diet in order to maintain fitness and prevent obesity. Self esteem can also be boosted through regular exercise. Sleeping habits can also be improved, and there might also be a decreased risk of anxiety or depression as a result of exercising regularly.
Physical fitness and children
Many parents wonder how to ensure their children get the required amount of exercise each day. It can be a challenge for kids to get started with exercise. Parents might consider enrolling their kids in activities such as gymnastics, soccer or dance. Some kind of exercise is necessary, no matter what that exercise might be. Toddlers and preschoolers should not be considered to be exempt from undertaking exercise. In fact, it is recommended that toddlers should be required to get about half an hour of structured physical activity each day. This should be combined with about an hour of unstructured physical activity. However, toddlers should really try to keep busy for several hours each day. Preschoolers require a bit more exercise than this, and should not be sedentary for more than an hour each day.
So what constitutes structured physical activity? This type of activity should be planned. It should be directed by a parent or other supervisor. This type of exercise should be relevant to the level of development of the child. Exercise such as this can take the form of marching, jumping, running, walking, kicking, rolling, sliding, stomping, or clapping. Use your imagination in order to find ways that your child can exercise regularly. Structured activity is necessary. This doesn't mean that your child needs to be running on a treadmill, but you should certainly be striving to ensure the child gets proper exercise.
When we refer to unstructured physical activity, we refer to the kind of physical activity that your child gets without supervision. This can include times when a toddler actively plays with a new toy, such as a tricycle, soccer ball, or tricycle. Other activities in this category includes hopscotch, follow the leader, tag, or even pulling wagons around the house. These activities can be undertaken at home, at day care, or at preschool.
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