How much time should my children spend being active?
Children and adolescents should accumulate a minimum of 1 hour of physical activity daily*. The 60 minutes doesn’t have to be done all in one go. You can build it up so your child accumulates the physical activity over the day. Daily physical activity can include free play, games, sports, transportation (walking, cycling), recreation, and physical education. The activities should be a combination of moderate and vigorous intensity.
The intensity of a physical activity refers to how hard we are working.
Moderate-intensity activities also make children sweat more and breathe a little harder but they can still talk while they move their bodies. These include fast walking, cycling to school, dancing or light swimming.
Vigorous-intensity activities make children sweat and feel “out of breath,” so that they can only speak a few words between breaths. These can include activities like running, fast cycling, fast swimming and many team sports.
Physical activity is important for everyone. If your child has a disability or a medical condition, or you have any concern about the amount and type of physical activity your child gets, it’s a good idea to talk to your physician or another health professional.
WHO Global recommendations (https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/pa/en/)
