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Eating for Life

How much activity is enough?

It doesn't matter what the activity, as long as children get moving

Updated: 2008-03-25T19:08:57Z

By Karen Uhlenhuth

The Kansas City Star

The National Association for Sport & Physical Activity issued its first-ever guidelines for infants and toddlers in February 2002. In 2003, the association upped the activity ante for children ages 5 to 12.

It recommends that infants should:
Engage in daily activities geared at exploring their environment

Toddlers and preschoolers should:

  • Engage in structured physical play for at least 30 minutes (for toddlers) or 60 minutes (for preschoolers) daily
  • Play in an unstructured way for at least 60 minutes daily, and should not be sedentary for more than 60 consecutive minutes except when sleeping

Children ages 5 to 12 should:

  • Engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity almost every day, including several sessions lasting at least 15 minutes apiece
  • Avoid more than two consecutive hours of inactivity during the day

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