Appropriate Amount of Physical Activity

According to the American Heart Association, the recommended amount of exercise for children over the age of 2 is at least 60 minutes a day. The physical activities should be enjoyable, vary from day to day, and be moderately-intense activities that are developmentally appropriate. If it is too hard to get in 60 minutes at once, split it up. Have 2 activities each with 30 minutes, or have 4 activities each being 15 minutes. There are three different types of exercised children should include in their physical activities.The first should be aerobic  activities. These kinds of activities can build the child's endurance. The next kind should be muscle strengthening exercises. The last kind of activity is bone-strengthening exercises. All of these activities should occur 3 days a week during the 60 minute time frame.

Benefits of Exercise in Children

There are both short term and long term benefits from children being involved in physical activity. Some of the benefits can include:

• stronger muscles and bones
• they will have leaner bodies 
• children have are less likely to become overweight
• exercise can decrease the chance of developing type 2 diabetes 
• possibly lower blood pressure and cholesterol
• sleep better at night

There are some psychological benefits that can come with exercising. A few of them are:

• children have a better outlook on life
• they are better able to handle emotional challenges
• have improved self-confidence and self-esteem

Examples of the Different Types of Activities

Aerobic Activities:

• basketball
• bicycling
• ice-skating
• soccer
• swimming
• tennis
• walking
• jogging
• running
• volleyball

Non-sports Activities

• Playing on a playground
• jumping rope
• dancing
• walking with your dog or a friend
• making a snowman
• hopscotch 
• four square
• skipping
• monkey bars 

Muscle Strengthening Activities

• push-ups
• sit-ups
• crunches
• lunges
• squats

Bone Strengthening Activities 

• jumping rope 
• running 
• skipping