Fitness: Children and Physical Activity

A short time ago I was honored to be a part of the first event in Greenwich to discuss children’s physical activity and nutrition. This topic was right up my alley.

I have been teaching Phys. Ed. here in Greenwich for 6 years at , , , , the and the . Prior to coming to Greenwich I taught at the middle school and college levels in Massachusetts. With a Master's in Applied Exercise Science I have also been a personal trainer and strength/conditioning coach working with people of all ages.

Years ago when asked by a parent of one of my students “what can be done to get my son more active?,” without much thought I responded by asking "What kind of activities are the family doing together?" After more thought, consideration and experience the response remains the same. The key to getting kids to enjoy physical activity is for the family to enjoy physical activity together.

Most habits are learned young including enjoying physical activity. The more a family models the experience of having a good time while being active the more likely a kid will seek out physical activity as a means of enjoyment and their health will reap the benefits.

Currently the recommendation is for every school-aged child to get at least 60 minutes of exercise every day. For elementary aged children general game play, being outside running around is considered exercise. Not the regimented, repetitive types of movements typically associated with the word “exercise.” Not all 60 minutes need to be completed in one large chunk of time, 10-minute bouts of exercise spread throughout the day is still beneficial.

There are other types of exercise that children should be performing as well. These include stretching and strength building exercises that challenge the upper body and lower body as well. For the strength building exercises a child's own body weight is enough of a challenge, no need to add any equipment. Local playgrounds are a great place to get the various types of exercise that young children need. These playgrounds become even more beneficial when mom and dad play on them as well. Don’t sit on the picnic table and watch your child having a good time. Being on the equipment and having a good time playing with your child will go a long way to creating the habit of being physically active and improving the whole family’s health.