Types of physical activities
- Aerobic activities: Activities that use large muscles for a sustained period of time to strengthen the heart and lungs.
- Examples: Running, hopping, skipping, jump rope, swimming, dancing and biking.
- Muscle-strengthening activities: These activities make muscles do more work than usual during activities of daily life.
- Examples: Playing on playground equipment.
- Bone strengthening activities: These activities produce a force on bones of the body that promotes bone growth and strength.
- Examples: Running, jump rope, basketball, tennis, hopscotch.
- Adolescents: Brisk walking, biking, kayaking, hiking, swimming, baseball, softball, martial arts, soccer, basketball, dancing and yoga.
Other movement options for children and adolescents
- Pre-school aged children: Tag games, follow the leader, tricycle or bicycle riding, playing on the playground, walking, running, skipping, jumping, dancing, swimming, catching/throwing/kicking games, gymnastics and tumbling.
- School-aged children: Brisk walking, bike ride, hiking, riding a scooter without a motor, swimming, playing games that require catching and throwing, such as softball/baseball, martial arts, soccer, basketball, dancing and yoga.
- Adolescents: Brisk walking, biking, kayaking, hiking, swimming, baseball, softball, martial arts, soccer, basketball, dancing and yoga.
Age-by-age activity ideas for parents and children
Staying active is important for kids of all ages, from babies to teenagers. Start with short activity breaks, like (even two to five minutes).
Birth to 1 year
Moving Legs
- You can build a baby’s leg muscles by placing them on their back and making sure their head is supported. Then hold their feet in your hands and slowly bend both legs, and then straighten them.
- Hold your baby’s feet up and cross their feet at the ankles back and forth, and say “Criss Cross!” or “Open and close!”
Tummy Time
- Your baby needs tummy time every day. They learn to push up, roll over, and before long sit up during tummy time.
- Start with 3-5 minutes a couple of times a day.
- You can place your baby on their tummy on a soft blanket on the floor. Place colorful toys just out of their reach. Your baby may lift their head to see the toy and in time, reach for it.
- Always stay with your baby during tummy time.
1 to 2 years
Play ball
- First, get down to the child’s level – whether it is sitting or squatting.
- Choose a colorful, lightweight ball so it can roll easily, like a small beach ball.
- Place the ball near your child’s foot. At first their tap or kick will be more like a push and that is okay because a one-year-old can’t balance well enough to kick a ball correctly.
- You can also practice rolling the ball back and forth with your child while seated.
Over, under, around
- Make an easy obstacle course for your child to move through:
- Climbing over a pile of pillows.
- Crawling under a makeshift tent using blankets or towels draped over chairs.
- Getting in and out of a big basket.
2 years
Move Like Me
- Ask your child, “Can you move like me?”
- Begin with simple movements that your child can copy, like moving your arms up in the air or clapping.
- Then, take turns leading the movements.
Using Fingers
- There are so many great songs that use hand gestures like Where is Thumbkin?, The Wheels on the Bus or Itsy Bitsy Spider.
- Show your child how to make the finger movements that go along with the song, and once they learn, do it together!
3 years
Balance like a flamingo
- A flamingo is a bright pink bird that balances on one leg! Show your child how a flamingo stands and then encourage them to bend one knee and lift it up while standing on the other leg.
- Hold their hand if they need help balancing!
Bubble Popping
Blow bubbles with your child outdoors and instruct them to be careful to blow them away from their face or someone else’s
- Ask, can they catch a bubble without popping it?
- Count together out loud how many bubbles they have popped!
- How high do they think their bubbles are floating?
- How many do they think they can pop?
- Have fun popping bubbles together!
Freeze dance
- This is a fun activity that helps build a child’s coordination and focus.
- Start a song and dance together, then say “freeze” or “stop” at a certain point in the song or when the music stops. Can they hold that position until the music starts again?
4 to 5 years
Pretend animals
- Can they gallop like a horse?
- Can they bounce like a kangaroo?
- Can they march like an ant?
- Can they walk slow like a sloth?
- Now join them in this fun activity and think of animals together. Add your imagination to it, such as pretending to be a monkey in a bounce house!
Silly walking
- Can you and your child practice walking backwards together?
- Can you both walk on your tip toes?
- Can you both walk super-fast without running?
- Can you both do little hops when you walk?
- Children love to move their bodies in silly ways, and it is even more fun when parents can join in on the silly fun!
6 to 8 years
Obstacle course hopscotch
- Draw a hopscotch or simple course with chalk on a sidewalk or patio.
- Draw a straight line, a circle, a square, and a zig zag line – have fun with it!
- You can tiptoe on the straight line, jump in the circle, hop in the square, and walk slowly on the zig zag line – it’s like a mini obstacle course!
- Ask, what are other ways can your child move their body?
Play catch
- Ask your parents/caregivers/siblings/friend to play catch with you.
- You can roll the ball back and forth or you can toss it gently to one another.
Five senses scavenger hunt
- Take a mindful walk with your child around the neighborhood or even around your home.
- You can point out plants outside (or inside) your home, touch the leaf, smell the flower, and comment on the texture of the leaf between your fingers.
- For younger children, make it short and sweet.
Outdoor mapping
Bring paper and a pen outside with you. Take turns with your child listening and naming the sounds you hear. Then map where you think you heard the sound.
- Was it behind you?
- Did it surprise you?
- Was it in a tree? Is this a sound you have heard before or is it a new sound?
- What did it sound like?
For all ages
Dance party
- Play a song your child likes and make up fun movements together.
- Show them some dance moves and have them try to copy you, then you can copy them.
Yoga alphabet
- You and your child can explore different poses using the alphabet.
- Use your arms and legs to make the letter “A” or the letter “L” or the letter “T.”
- Encourage your child to be as creative!
Creative stretches
- You and your child can curl up like a roly poly bug – curl into a tight ball. Then stretch arms and legs out wide like a starfish.
- How far can you reach as you stretch?
Belly breathing
- At the end of all your movement sessions, practice deep breathing in 1…2…3…4 and release 1…2…3…4.
- This can be a moment of transition as you go from activity to back to the real world – if belly breathing isn’t the right transition for you, find one that works.
