Plan to Adopt a More Active Lifestyle Over Summer Vacation

Physical activity helps kids maintain a healthy body weight and build healthy muscles, joints and bones. But did you know exercise also helps kids improve their academics? Exercise helps kids sleep at night, reduce stress, and feel better about themselves. It also prepares them for learning activities.

Experts say kids need a minimum of 60 to 90 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA.) Most kids aren't getting that exercise, and it affects both their health and their school performance.

What About Physical Education in School?

According to Get Kids in Action, a web site aimed at improving kids' fitness and health, "Only 10% of schools offer daily physical education classes, and many of those don't meet the time requirements of weekly exercise."

Requirements for gym classes vary from one jurisdiction to another. Where I live in Quebec, schools are required to provide two hours a week of phys. ed. classes. My son gets that in two one-hour blocks, which I appreciate. But it's obvious that he won't get enough activity if we rely on gym classes alone.

Adapting Healthier Habits Over the Summer Vacation

Take advantage of the upcoming summer holidays to gradually increase the amount of time your kids are active each day. Canada's Physical Activity Guide suggests a plan that allows a sedentary person to increase MVPA in small increments, raising them each month over the space of five months. To make the most out of this method use the summer holidays, when kids will want to be moving outside, as an easier starting point.

In the first month of vacation, ask your kids to increase their moderate activity by 20 minutes each day, and their vigorous activity by just 10 minutes. Ask them also to decrease their daily screen time by 30 minutes - so no making up for TV shows they missed while they were at the park or the pool, and no staying up late at night to surf the net! In the second month devote an additional 10 minutes to moderate exercise, and 5 minutes to vigorous activity. Decrease screen time by another 15 minutes.

By the end of summer vacation your kids will be in the habit of exercising for at least 45 minutes a day, of which 15 minutes will be vigorous. They will also have decreased their daily screen time by 45 minutes. Continue with monthly increments of 10 minutes of moderate, and 5 minutes of vigorous daily activity. Decrease screen time by 15 minutes more each month, At the end of five months, your kids will have reached the recommended 60 minutes of moderate and 30 minutes of vigorous activity per day, and will have decreased daily screen time by 90 minutes.

Sources:

"Canada's physical activity guides for children and youth" (Public Health Agency of Canada)

"Exercise for children" (Medline Plus from NIH)

"Exercise for kids" (Get Kids in Action)