ACTIVE Halifax Communities encourages families, educators, and community leaders to participate in the efforts to increase physical activity among children and youth in the Halifax Regional Municipality. The following “Active Tips” provides information pertaining to physical activity and how to increase physical activity in children and youth’s lives.

Why is Physical Activity Important?

Physical activity is essential for children and youth’s healthy growth and development. Physical activity:

• Builds strong bones and muscles
• Strengthens the heart
• Helps achieve healthy body weight
• Encourages good posture and balance
• Provides an avenue to meet new friends
• Improves self esteem
• Increases relaxation

Physical activity reduces the risk of:

• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Obesity
• Stroke
• Adult-onset diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• Depression
• Colon cancer
• Premature death

By encouraging children and youth to be active, we help them to create a pattern that can stay with them for life.

Physical Activity Recommendations for Children and Youth

Health Canada recommends that children and youth:

1. Increase the time they currently spend being active by 30 minutes more per day.
2. Reduce non-active time spent on TV, video, computer games, and Internet by 30 minutes less per day. (The 30 minutes of physical activity can be accumulated in bouts of 5 or 10 minutes throughout the day.)

Both moderate and vigorous activities should be increased. During moderate activities, children and youth are able to carry on a conversation with some effort. Examples of moderate activities include (but are not limited to):

• walking
• skating
• biking
• swimming
• playing outdoors

During vigorous activities, it is difficult to carry on a conversation. Vigorous activities include (but are not limited to):

• running
• soccer

Active Tips to Increase Children and Youth Physical Activity Levels

Looking for ideas on how to increase physical activity levels of children and youth in your life? Here’s just a few..........

• Physical activity can be a fun family event.
• Sports are a good way to encourage activity, but they are not the only way. Alternatives include: hiking, chores, walking, and active play.
• Ask children what physical activities they like.
• Set physical activity ground rules. Restrict non-active time.
• Be an active role model.
• Use physical activity rewards.
• Give children positive feedback and praise for being active.
• When possible walk with your children instead of driving.
• Attend your children’s physical activity events, such as sporting games and dance recitals.
• Encourage children to be physically active during recess.
• Advocate use of schools for physical activity opportunities.
• Advocate daily physical activity at school.
• Advocate for child safety in your community.
• Create an opportunity for physical activity in your community.
• Support active community events.

Related Links
Canada’s Physical Activity Guides for Children and Youth

• Ages 6 - 9 (link)
• Ages 10 - 14 (link)

Active Kid Tips

To be more active, you need to play and have fun. Here’s just a few ideas...........

• Go running, jumping, skating, blading, boarding, or skiing.
• Go biking, wheeling, or bowling.
• Dance to music.
• Play on a playground.
• Go swimming.
• Build a snowman or go tobogganing.
• Do yoga, martial arts, or gymnastics.
• Walk to school, walk the dog, walk.
• Play soccer, baseball, volley ball, or any other sport you enjoy.
• Carry the groceries, rake the leaves, shovel the snow.
• Take the stairs (not the elevator).
• Be active with friends.