Kids Need Exercise Too!

Discover Your Child's Fitness Needs

-- By Nicole Nichols, Fitness Instructor & Health Educator

As an adult, you need to exercise and maintain a good level of fitness for your health—to manage your weight, prevent diseases, reduce stress, and be able to accomplish normal activities of daily living, from carrying groceries to cleaning the house. Children need to be fit for the same reasons as you. Physical activity has the same benefits, including better sleep, and in some cases, improved behavior and attention. So how much is enough for your child?

Infants (up to 12 months old)
Developmentally, most infants are learning to roll over, sit, stand and possibly begin to walk during this phase of life.

There are no specific activity recommendations for infants, yet as a parent you should encourage the motor development skills listed above by providing a safe environment for play, and by limiting the amount of time your infant spends in car seats, swings, strollers, and walkers.

Toddlers (1-3 years old)
Developmentally, toddlers should be able to walk, run, jump, climb, and even kick.

Experts recommend about 1-1/2 hours of physical activity for toddlers, including playtime (especially outdoor activities), using playground equipment (make sure it is appropriately sized for a toddler), playing with balls, and using push/pull/ride toys.

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• JIBBIE49 "When I was a child I was always outside playing."

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