How much physical activity do children and young people aged 5-18 need to do to keep healthy?

 

To stay healthy or to improve health, young people need to do three types of physical activity each week: aerobic, muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activity.

The amount of physical activity you need to do each week is determined by your age. Click on the links below for the recommendations for other age groups:



early childhood (under 5 years old)



adults (19-64 years old)



older adults (65 and over)  




Guidelines for 5 to 18 year-olds 

To maintain a basic level of health, children and young people aged 5-18 need to do:



At least 60 minutes (1 hour) of physical activity every day, which should range between moderate-intensity activity, such as cycling and playground activities and vigorous-intensity activity, such as fast running and tennis.



On three days a week, these activities should involve muscle-strengthening activities, such as push-ups, and bone-strengthening activities, such as running.



Many vigorous-intensity activities can help you meet your weekly muscle- and bone-strengthening requirements, such as running, skipping, gymnastics, martial arts and football.

Children and young people should minimise the amount of time they spend sitting watching TV, playing computer games, and travelling by car when they could walk or cycle instead. Find out why sitting is bad for your health. 

 

 What counts as moderate-intensity activity? 


Examples of activities that require moderate effort for most young people include:


 



walking to school



playing in the playground



riding a scooter



skateboarding



rollerblading



walking the dog



cycling on level ground or ground with few hills




Moderate-intensity activity means you're working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat. One way to tell if you're working at a moderate intensity is if you can still talk but you can't sing the words to a song.

 

 What counts as vigorous-intensity activity? 


Vigorous-intensity activity is associated with better general health, stronger bones and muscles as well as higher levels of self-esteem.

There is substantial evidence that vigorous-intensity activity can bring health benefits over and above that of moderate intensity activity.

A rule of thumb is that 1 minute of vigorous-intensity activity is about the same as 2 minutes of moderate-intensity activity.

There is currently no recommendation for the length of individual sessions of vigorous-intensity activity for this age group.


Examples of activities that require vigorous effort for most young people include:



playing chase



energetic dancing



swimming 



running



gymnastics



football



rugby



martial arts, such as karate



cycling fast or on hilly terrain




Vigorous-intensity activity means you're breathing hard and fast, and your heart rate has gone up quite a bit. If you're working at this level, you won't be able to say more than a few words without pausing for a breath.


What counts as muscle-strengthening activity?



 

Muscle strength is necessary for daily activities, to build and maintain strong bones, to regulate blood sugar and blood pressure and to help maintain a healthy weight.

For young people, muscle-strengthening activities are those that require them to lift their own body weight or to work against a resistance, such as climbing a rope.

Examples of muscle-strengthening activities suitable for children include:



games such as tug of war



swinging on playground equipment bars



gymnastics



rope or tree climbing



sit-ups, press ups etc. 



gymnastics



football



rugby



tennis




Examples of muscle-strengthening activities suitable for young people include:



sit-ups, press ups etc.



gymnastics



resistance exercises with exercise bands, weight machines or hand-held weights



rock climbing



football



basketball



tennis




Children and young people should take part in activities that are appropriate for their age and stage of development.

 

What counts as bone-strengthening activity?


Bone-strengthening activities produce an impact or tension force on the bones that promotes bone growth and strength. 

Examples of bone-strengthening activities for children include:



activities that require children to lift their body weight or to work against a resistance



jumping and climbing activities, combined with the use of playground equipment and toys



games such as hopscotch



skipping with a rope



walking



running



gymnastics



dance 



football



basketball



martial arts




Examples of bone-strengthening activities for young people include:



dance 



aerobics



weight-training 



running



gymnastics



football



rughby



netball



hockey



badminton



tennis



skipping with a rope



martial arts




Children and young people should take part in activities that are appropriate for their age and stage of development.