How Much Exercise Do Young Kids Need?

There are so benefits of exercise and physical activity for kids: 

• stronger muscles and bones
• leaner bodies
• less risk of becoming overweight
• a lower chance of getting type 2 diabetes
• lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels
• a better outlook on life

Besides enjoying the health benefits of regular exercise, fit kids sleep better. They're also better able to handle physical and emotional challenges — from running to catch a bus to studying for a test. Kids who have attention and focus issues benefit quite a bit from physical movement. 

According to the CDC, the amount of physical activity kids need depends on their age and ranges from being active throughout the day for preschool-aged children (ages 3 through 5 years) to being active for 60 minutes or more for school-aged children and adolescents (ages 6 through 17 years). You may find that your kids area already naturally meeting these requirements. 

The below graphic can help give you a better picture of recommendations by age. 

For school-age children, it's important to start including muscle and bone-strengthening exercises in addition to aerobic exercise. 

Children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 years should do 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily: 

• Aerobic: Most of the 60 minutes or more per day should be either moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity and should include vigorous-intensity physical activity on at least 3 days a week. 
• Muscle-strengthening: As part of their 60 minutes or more of daily physical activity, children and adolescents should include muscle-strengthening physical activity on at least 3 days a week. 
• Bone-strengthening: As part of their 60 minutes or more of daily physical activity, children and adolescents should include bone-strengthening physical activity on at least 3 days a week. 

Here at Pickup Sports, we are big fans of inspiring kids to move around so that they develop their own motivation that lasts a lifetime. When looking at adults who regularly get physical activity, typically they were active as a child. (It's much harder to start new habits as adults). Every small action has a reaction: 

1. When kids are confident with what they play, they are more likely to play more and be self-motivated to get out and do some physical activity

2. In order to feel confident, kids need to have successful experiences (master skills, positive feedback, etc)

3. In order to master skills and feel successful, they need to learn the skills

4. The best people to teach these skills to young kids are their favorite grownups (parents, grandparents, etc). rather than an unfamiliar coach

Habits and learning skills of motor control and ball control are important pieces in helping kids master skills. Pickup Sports boxes come with the equipment kids need that will help them have successful experiences and also a curriculum of games that follow weekly progressions to help them learn. Once they start playing, they don't want to stop!