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I Move We Move - Good For Kids - NSW Government

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Benefits of physical activity and movement<br />

in young children<br />

Children benefit greatly from being physically active, as it can:<br />

• Promote healthy growth and development e.g. bones and muscles, flexibility, balance, posture<br />

and cardiovascular fitness<br />

• Help establish connections between different parts of the brain that develop memory and language<br />

• Help achieve and maintain a healthy weight<br />

• Help relaxation<br />

• Improve concentration<br />

• Improve confidence and self-esteem<br />

• Provide opportunities to develop social skills and to make friends 5<br />

Physical activity recommendations for young children<br />

Being active is important for all children as they grow and develop. Young children in particular<br />

should be given plenty of opportunities to move throughout the day and should not be sedentary<br />

(i.e. sitting) for long periods of time.<br />

Draft National Physical Activity Recommendations for Children 0 to 5 years* 6 have recently been<br />

developed (* the recommendations are draft and subject to endorsement by the Australian Health<br />

Ministers’ Conference). These recommendations focus on the amount and type of physical activity<br />

rather than intensity. The recommendations state:<br />

• “<strong>For</strong> healthy development in infants (birth to 1 year), physical activity – particularly supervised<br />

floor-based play in safe environments – should be encouraged from birth<br />

• Toddlers (1 to 3 years of age) and pre-schoolers (3 to 5 years of age) should be physically active<br />

every day for at least three hours, spread throughout the day<br />

• Infants, toddlers, and pre-schoolers should not be sedentary, restrained, or kept inactive, for<br />

more than one hour at a time, with the exception of sleeping”.*<br />

The recommendations also address limiting the time that children spend sedentary through small<br />

screen recreation i.e. using the computer or television (broadcast, videos, DVDs or electronic<br />

games). <strong>For</strong> small screen recreation, the recommendations state:<br />

• “Children younger than 2 years of age should not spend any time watching television or using<br />

other electronic media (DVDs, computer and other electronic games)<br />

• <strong>For</strong> children 2 to 5 years of age, sitting and watching television and the use of other electronic<br />

media (DVDs, computer and other electronic games) should be limited to less than one hour<br />

per day”*<br />

I <strong>Move</strong> <strong>We</strong> <strong>Move</strong>, The Guide Edition 1 August 2009<br />

AREA HEALTH SERVICE<br />

1.2

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