Why is physical activity important to children?
Healthy kids are happy kids.
IMPORTANT: Updated Information
Information impacting childcare is being updated on a frequent basis. You can track the latest information here- COVID-19 Childcare Updates.
Everyone knows that it is important to exercise and remain physically active in order to maintain good health. Children’s workout activities and exercises help them increase their muscle and bone strength, improve concentration levels, and more importantly, lay the foundation for a healthy life.
According to the 2020 Annual Child Care Report, 1 in 4 children in Australia are overweight.
National survey for The Early Years Insights 2020
Although wrong dietary habits are largely to blame, low children physical activity level is also a reason. Hence, parents and carers should make children’s fitness their priority and encourage them to do some fun workout as a part of their daily routine, even in the present situation.
Additional benefits of physical activities in children include:
- weight management
- strong bones and muscles
- cardiovascular fitness
- better balance, coordination and strength
- good posture
- improved concentration
- better confidence and self-esteem
- less stress
Children can get their daily quota of physical activity at home while adhering to the Government directive of ‘stay at home as much as possible’. Several online resources are available, especially for children. These are specifically designed to promote children’s fitness even when they are forced to spend time indoors.
How to keep children active at home?
There are several specialist children fitness programs offered by professional trainers online. The activities in these children workout programs include boxing, fitness and obstacle training among others.
With the unprecedented threat posed by COVID-19, like many other things, fitness training for children has gone online too. Special programs make it possible for children to undertake much-needed physical activity at home.
The importance of keeping children active and doing physical exercise during the lockdown
Being physically active is essential for both the health and wellbeing of children; the WHO recommends children to be physically active for at least an hour per day while staying at home. Fitness for children is also important for building their resilience and for the plain reason that workouts can infuse a sense of routine into their lives.
Physical activity keeps children from being obese, and they are more likely to become active when they grow up. Frequent fitness sessions have a direct effect on brain health and learning, helping them to set up a routine that will stay with them throughout their life.
Further information
- Visit the COVID-19: Childcare Resources for latest news updates, understanding your responsibilities are to parents & children during the COVID-19 pandemic, when you should close your service, and how to get financial advice & assistance, and other key childcare-related information.
- Please visit the Department of Education, Skills and Employment Frequently Asked Questions for more information for providers and services and Coronavirus (COVID-19) for the latest education and training sector fact sheets.
- The CCS Helpdesk is available to assist with information for services to help them manage the impacts on their business. Please email the CCS Helpdesk on ccshelpdesk@dese.gov.au, send in your query via an online form or call 1300 667 276 between 9.00 am — 5.00 pm (AEDST), Monday to Friday.
Please make sure that if you are a child care provider or service you have subscribed to receive communications from the Department of Education, Skills and Employment.
