The Best Types of Physical Activity for School-Aged Children and Adolescents

If you follow 5-2-1-0, you know that you and your family should get 1 hour or more of physical activity every day. But, what counts as physical activity for school-aged children and adolescents?

Your child’s 1 hour of physical activity should include activities that make their hearts beat faster, build muscles, and strengthen their bones. Many of these activities fall into a few categories:

• Moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic activity, recommended on all days of the week
• Muscle- and bone-strengthening activity, recommended on at least 3 days a week

To measure the intensity of your child’s physical activity, try the talk test. If your child is doing moderate-intensity activities, they can talk but not sing during the activity. If your child is doing vigorous-intensity activities, they will not be able to say more than a few words without pausing to catch their breath.

Here are some ideas, thanks to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on your child’s age.

School-Aged Children

Moderate-intensity aerobic activities

• Brisk walking
• Bicycle riding on flat surfaces
• Active recreation—hiking, swimming, etc.
• Playing games requiring catching or throwing—baseball, softball, football, etc.

Vigorous-intensity aerobic activities

• Running
• Bicycle riding on hills
• Active games involving running or chasing—tag or flag football, etc.
• Jumping rope
• Cross-country skiing
• Martial arts
• Sports including soccer, basketball, tennis, or swimming
• Vigorous dancing

Muscle-strengthening activities

• Games such as tug of war
• Resistance exercises using bodyweight or resistance bands
• Rope or tree climbing
• Climbing on playground equipment
• Some forms of yoga

Bone-strengthening activities

• Hopping, skipping, or jumping
• Jumping rope
• Running
• Sports involving jumping or rapid changes in direction

 

Adolescents

Moderate-intensity aerobic activities

• Brisk walking
• Bicycle riding on flat surfaces
• Active recreation—hiking, kayaking, swimming, etc.
• House and yard work—sweeping or pushing a lawnmower, etc.
• Playing games requiring catching or throwing—baseball, softball, football, etc.

Vigorous-intensity aerobic activities

• Running
• Bicycle riding on hills
• Active games involving running or chasing—tag or flag football, etc.
• Jumping rope
• Cross-country skiing
• Martial arts
• Sports including soccer, basketball, tennis, or swimming
• Vigorous dancing

Muscle-strengthening activities

• Games such as tug of war
• Resistance exercises using bodyweight, resistance bands, weight machines, hand-held weights, etc.
• Rock climbing or rock wall climbing
• Some forms of yoga

Bone-strengthening activities

• Jumping rope
• Running
• Sports involving jumping or rapid changes in direction

Looking for ideas for daily, quick, and fun physical activities for your children? Check out our Resources page for inspiration.