Spring into Play: Encouraging Active Fun for Kids of All Abilities!
Spring is coming! Days are starting to get a little bit lighter and warmer as spring breaks approach, meaning more time to play outside! Did you know that active play, particularly outdoors, is an important part not only of childhood development but also of overall health for kids of all ages?
Physical activity for kids does not need to be structured exercise, but rather more active play opportunities such as:
Playground play
Tag or hide and seek
Recreational sports or dance
Swimming or water play
Riding a bike or scooter
Obstacle courses indoors
We know that in this modern day, many children are highly motivated by screens - TV time, ipads, video games, etc. Screen time can of course be part of a regular play routine for a child, but it becomes a concern when screen time increases the amount of time a child spends sedentary or not engaged in imaginative activities. Keep in mind that many types of play can have a place in your child’s daily schedule, and that active play should be a priority each day.
Regular physical activity for your child has many benefits including:
Strengthening bones and muscles for development
Improving coordination and gross motor skills
Creating opportunity for social interaction with other peers
Increasing motor planning and executive functioning skills
Promotion of healthy blood sugar and hormones as they grow
More opportunities for FUN!
Children with physical limitations and special needs also will benefit from regular physical activity for overall health and participation in play as well. This may include utilizing adaptive equipment, like standing frames, wheelchair sports, or adaptive bicycles to participate in physical movement and recreational activities.
The benefits of regular physical activity for children with special needs include:
Improved bone and muscle strength
Improved lung capacity and endurance
Improved emotional regulation and behavior
Improved self-esteem and social interaction
Improved mental health and reduced feelings of isolation
Improved body weight
Improved cognitive and executive functioning
More opportunities for FUN!
Activities are available for kids of all ages and range from adaptive sports, equine and swimming events, to cheer and dance teams.
A question we often encounter (for ourselves and our kids) is: how much is enough?? The American Medical Association recommends varying levels of physical activity for children based on age. In general, children and teens should be getting 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily, spread throughout the day.
- For pre-school aged children (3-5 years old), physical activity should be spread throughout the day to encourage growth, development, and interaction with peers. This can be completed through active play (indoor and outdoor!) Encourage a variety of activities such as:
Safe climbing
Playground skills
Running, jumping, dancing
Riding a tricycle or scooter with a helmet
Supervised swimming / swim lessons
obstacle courses indoors or outdoors
Variety of sports to expose them to multiple types of skills and peer play.
- For school-aged children through adolescence (ages 6-17), they should participate in 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. This can also be spread throughout the day through activities such as:
Family walks with the dog
Playing outside
Playground time
House work - like washing counters, vacuuming, or folding laundry
Participating in structured sports or fitness classes
It is important to continue to encourage your child to participate in a variety of activities and most importantly to participate in physical activity that is enjoyable to them!
It can feel daunting to make 60 minutes for physical activity available within your schedule - but there are probably a lot of ways to build this physical activity into your daily routine! The biggest tip for meeting physical activity goals for children and adolescents is to spread it out throughout the day!
For example:
10 minute walk with the dog in the morning +
20 minutes at recess +
30 minutes of outdoor play or sports activity in the evening!
= 60 minutes total!
OR, for an older child (8-17) not involved in sports this could look like:
10 minute brisk walk with the dog in the morning +
30 minutes doing more vigorous household chores, like vacuuming, carrying boxes, yardwork, or folding clothes
20 minutes dog walk or yoga in the evening
= 60 minutes total
Most importantly, encourage your child to have fun and be creative. They will likely want to engage in movement activities on their own. and allowing their movement time and space to be fun will help them be more likely to continue engaging in physical play activity regularly as they grow.
All Together Wellness knows how important movement is for your child’s development and health and has created some classes for your child to take some of the guess work out of it for you! Each week we currently offer enriching groups for all children ranging from 18 months to 12 years old. View our groups by clicking the link below to find the best fit for your child!
