Physical activity of children and adolescents

To help children develop good habits for many years, involvement in an active healthy lifestyle should begin at an early age.

Physical activity of children and adolescents

Recommended duration of classes and types of exercises according to the age of the child

To help children develop good habits for many years, involvement in an active healthy lifestyle should begin at an early age. This requires daily physical activity and healthy eating.

Exercise helps children:

  • Keep your heart and lungs strong and healthy;
  • Develop flexibility;
  • To form a skeleton;
  • Maintain a healthy body weight;
  • Prevent and reduce the risk of diseases and health problems;
  • Improve mood and self-esteem;
  • It is better to study at school and
  • Love your body.

Sedentary lifestyle is that physical activity is very low: a person sitting at a computer, playing video games or watching TV, which is indirectly harmful to their own health. Children and adolescents should spend less time on all these activities and spend most of their time actively.

How can children be involved in physical activity?

The child receives the most information about a healthy and active lifestyle from his parents. Motivate the whole family to exercise regularly and switch to a healthy diet. It will be easier if you decide to gather regularly with the whole family and do physical exercises, considering them as part of your daily life.

  • Choose activities that are appropriate for your child's age and level of development.
  • Give your child or teenager plenty of time for structured activities, such as sports, and unstructured activities such as playgrounds.
  • Make exercise fun.

How much time should a child spend exercising?

Daily physical activity may include free games, sports, movement (walking, cycling), recreation and exercise.

  • Exercises with high intensity make children sweat and slow down the rhythm of breathing so much that they can say only a few words between breaths. These can be activities such as running and swimming for speed or time.
  • Moderate exercise also makes children sweat and breathe more often, but they can talk. These include activities such as brisk walking or cycling.
  • Exercises that strengthen muscles and skeleton may include jumping rope and running, or sports such as tennis and basketball.

 

How to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle in the family?

  • Set limits on the amount of time children and teens spend watching TV, playing video games, and traveling online. This time should not exceed one or two hours a day. Pediatricians do not recommend screen and monitor classes for children under the age of two.
  • For children to stay healthy, one team sport is not enough (for example, participation in a football or hockey team). Encourage your child or teen to exercise daily, such as walking or cycling to visit a friend, jumping rope, or playing in a nearby park or playground.
  • Take your children to school on foot or organize a walking club with your neighbors.
  • Teach children to walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Involve children in household chores, such as shopping for food, raking leaves, or clearing snow.
  • Make sure you are safe. Children and adolescents should wear protective equipment for activities such as cycling, ice skating, skateboarding, football and more.