Why Exercise is Great for Children

We believe exercise is one of the most beneficial things, and there’s all sort of scientific evidence that backs this up.

It can make us feel better, help us sleep and bust stress. Nowadays, lots of children have far more sedentary lifestyles than before, so it’s important to encourage them to get exercise.

Benefits of exercise for children include:

1. Better fitness
2. Easier sleep
3. Greater bone strength
4. Comfortable development
5. Improved posture
6. Resilience

Just remember that it has to be fun

Children can be fickle so if you want to turn exercise into a long-term habit then it’s a good idea to keep it enjoyable. Sports are a good way to achieve this, and football and basketball are not only popular, but can be easily achieved through joining a club. Other options include dance, tennis and golf.

For toddlers

It’s great to be active from early on, even if your child isn’t walking yet. Exercise can become part of your child’s development, improving bones, muscles and motor skills.

Examples of activities include:

1. Rolling, crawling or reaching for toys
2. Water exercise

Young children who can walk

You can expect your young one to be active throughout the day for up to three hours, although obviously not all in one go. Exercise at this stage can take the form of play, or mild structured exercise.

Examples of activities include:

1. Running or playing
2. Throwing games
3. Climbing obstacles
4. Trampolining

Age 5-18

Young people in this age group should be getting upwards of an hour of exercise every day. Exercise should be hard enough to raise the heartbeat and get the blood pumping, but shouldn’t be so hard that it’s difficult to talk.

Examples of activities include:

1. Cycling
2. Dog walking
3. Frisbee
4. Wrestling

Your child should also try some more vigorous activity, with a higher heart rate and stronger breathing.

Examples of activities include:

1. Sport
2. Swimming
3. Running

It’s also a good idea for your child to try higher intensity exercise, such as resistance training up to three times per week.

Examples of activities include:

1. Tennis
2. Gymnastics/Calisthenics
3. Bodyweight resistance training

Our youth classes are perfect for this, our team of trainers design classes perfect for the younger age range.

Please note

Some of the activities above require protective equipment and you should always make sure that your child is exercising safely. You should check with your family doctor before starting an exercise regime for any of your children and ensure that your child is supervised during the more rigorous activities here.

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