Health Topics for Child Health and Development

UI Children's Hospital

UI Family Care Centers

Divisions Within the Department of Pediatrics

Iowa Registry for Congenital and Inherited Disorders

Exercise: Are your children getting enough?

Have you ever tried to get a young child to sit still for five minutes? Parents do not have to work at getting young children to be active. Most children are in perpetual motion. It is very important to establish good habits when they are young, before they start to slow down. Kids begin to slow down around age 12 and are more dependent upon adults to take them to organized sports and recreational activities.

Encourage children to stay physically active. Parents can teach their children healthy lifestyle habits that will last forever. Children often imitate their parent's activity levels. Fitness and physical activity can become a family affair. Spend time together playing games, bicycling, hiking, or swimming.

Children go through 6 distinct developmental stages. Activities good for one age level may not be good for another.

For age specific activities, try these tips:

• First 2 Years: Let the child be active and explore naturally. Develop good eating habits. Do not use food to reward or bribe.

• 2 to 5 Years: Practice basic skills, such as throwing, kicking, and jumping. Let the experience be fun. Skill will naturally improve with practice.

• 5 to 8 Years: Loosely structured team sports can be offered. Do not be too demanding or over-protective. Children at all ages are accident prone. They play to have fun, be with friends, and burn off energy.

• 8 to 10 Years: Allow the child to experiment with individual and team sports activities. Assess physical abilities. Offer encouragement, not criticism. Let the child develop new skills at his or her own pace.

• 10 to 14 Years: Puberty begins. Egos become fragile. Match sports to the child's physical and emotional development, not calendar age.

• 14 to 17 Years: Health and fitness values have been taught and practiced by this age. Focus on the long-term benefits of an active lifestyle.

Be sure that regular aerobic activities are included in the child's activities. These activities strengthen the heart and lungs. Examples include soccer, bike riding, rollerblading, swimming, running, and walking.

Remember, safety first! Provide helmets, pads, mouth guards, and proper shoes and clothing. It is important for parents to act as role models for safety. Be sure to use protective gear when you are exercising. An active lifestyle develops healthy and fit children. Fitness helps children feel great about themselves and is a lot of fun!

Last Reviewed 2005

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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