Children benefit from exercise and fitness as
much as adults do. Experts
recommend that teens and children (starting at age 6) do moderate to vigorous
activity at least 1 hour every day.1 And 3 or more
days a week, what they choose to do should:
- Make them breathe harder and make the heart beat much
faster than normal.
- Make their muscles stronger. For example, they could play on
playground equipment, play tug-of-war, do sit-ups, or use resistance
- Make their bones stronger. For example, they could run, play
hopscotch, jump rope, or play basketball or tennis.
It's okay for them to be active in smaller blocks of time that
add up to 1 hour or more each day.