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- Suitable for 1-8Years
Activity: how much is enough?
It’s good for kids to have at least two hours of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.
This kind of activity can be enjoyed in small blocks of time, about 5-15 minutes, building up to around two hours over the day.
- Moderate activities are about as intense as a brisk walk.
- Vigorous activities are more likely to get your child huffing and puffing and to build up a sweat.
Physical activity is not necessarily ‘exercise’. Your child doesn’t have to play an organised sport or do push-ups to achieve benefits. Simple activities can include:
- going for walks, or walking to child care or school
- spending time at the playground
- playing in the shallows at the beach
- playing chasey or keepings off in the yard.
Recent studies show that in Australia many boys and most girls are not getting enough physical activity every day.
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- Last updated18-08-2011
- Last reviewed06-09-2009
Bauman, A. (2004). Physical activity. In R. Moodie & A. Hulme (Eds). Hands-on health promotion. Melbourne: IP Communications.
Michaud-Thomson, L et al. (2003).Walk to school-does it make a difference in children’s physical activity levels? ACPHER Healthy Lifestyles Journal, 50:3-4, 16-24.
Department of Health and Ageing (2005). Active kids are healthy kids: Australia’s physical activity recommendations for 5-12 year olds. Retrieved 21 December, 2005 from http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/9D7D393564FA0C42CA256F970014A5D4/$File/kids_phys.pdf
