Exercise and activity

For very young children, physical activity is a way of life. They seem to have boundless energy and only stop moving when they’re asleep.

As they get older, TV, computer games and other distractions of the ‘push button’ society we live in can mean they don’t get the exercise they perhaps should.

Even moderate activity can help improve children’s overall health by controlling their weight, keeping their bones, muscles and joints supple and healthy and even improving their mood and outlook on life.

It can also help reduce their risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, certain types of cancer and high blood pressure in later life.

To begin feeling the benefits, they don’t have to throw themselves into high impact exercise. There are plenty of ways they can stay physically active in normal, day-to-day life, with a bit of help from you:

• Insist they walk to their friends’ instead of getting a lift from you.
• Send them to the shops or on other errands.
• Get them to tidy their room or the garden.
• If you have a dog, make them take it out for a walk.
• Tell them to get off the school bus early and walk the rest of the way home.

If they want to get involved in more structured exercise, check out the local gym or leisure centre. They often have special membership for under 16s or activity clubs of some kind, especially in the school holidays. And while they’re getting fit, they’ll probably make some new friends too.