General Tips

Tips

A key to health

According to the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, only 12% of Canadian children meet the physical activity targets for children and youth. If children aren't active enough, they're at a higher risk for diseases like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and other cardiovascular illnesses.

Ways to encourage physical activity

Physical activity doesn't mean only sports - it can include everyday things like walking the dog, planting a garden, playing tag, building a snowman or tobogganing, and even household chores like shovelling the driveway or sweeping the garage.

Help your kids be active:

• Teach them the importance of daily physical activity as a vital part of staying healthy.
• Limit the non-active time they spend watching television, playing video games or surfing the Internet;
• Encourage them to ride their bikes or walk to school;
• Combine periods of moderate activity (walking, biking) with periods of more vigorous activity (running, playing soccer);
• Provide regular opportunities to learn new skills and have fun with organized activities like swimming, soccer, baseball, martial arts, dancing, gymnastics, skiing, basketball and tennis;
• Balance the day with play - physical activities that are informal and unstructured - particularly for children who tend to shy away from competition;
• Be a positive role model by being active;
• Be a physically active family with regular outings to hike, cycle, walk or skate; and
• Praise their choices of physical activities - confidence is critical to success!