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It is important to encourage your child to be active from an early age. This will help them on the path to healthy habits in the future and reduce their risk of obesity, cancer and heart problems when they are older.
How much activity should your child be doing?
Children and young people should aim for at least 60 minutes of activity each day. It is important to remember that this doesn’t have to happen all at once – the 60 minutes can be split up throughout the day and added together at the end. For example, a 10 minute walk to school, 10 minute play at interval and a 40 minute game of football at the park after school. It all adds up! If they want to do more than 60 minutes, encourage them to go for it – it won’t do them any harm!
How should your child feel when being active?
Remind your child that it’s ok to feel a bit warmer or breathe a little faster when they are doing activity. Rosy cheeks are good! Being able to talk to someone, with the odd puff or pant, is a good sign of being active at the right level.
How often should your child be active?
It is important that children aim to be active for at least 60 minutes on every day of the week! This may sound like a lot but it is important for children to get into the habit of being active from a young age so they can maintain these good habits as they get older and into adulthood.
Most schools operate after school sports clubs, be it a football or athletics club, and all pupils are welcome to join. There are also local sports centres through which you can get in touch with sport clubs and events taking place in your area. Whether team sports or individual, your child should have regular exercise, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be sports. Running in the park or spending time in a swing park or soft play area is just as good! Open spaces, like parks, woodlands, waterways and playing fields, are a great place to go and get active.
Additional Information:
Take Life On
Active Scotland
Glasgow Life - Sport
Play Scotland
(The image above shows pupils from Hillhead Primary School.)