Be Active

Children need at least 60 minutes of active play every day. Being physically active promotes many benefits for children including increased fitness, coordination and motor skills, confidence, self-esteem and academic performance.

Introduction

Australia’s recommendations for physical activity in children aged 5-12 years are that:

- children need at least 60 minutes (and up to several hours) of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day; and

- children should not spend more than two hours each day using electronic media for entertainment (e.g. computer games, television, internet), particularly during daylight hours.

Active play is an approach to physical activity. It can be either structured or unstructured. Structured active play is usually organised or planned, and often follows a set sequence of events or actions. It often has set rules, time limits, leaders/instructors, and special equipment. Examples include swimming lessons or sports for primary school children.

Unstructured active play is less restricted and often spontaneous. It can be highly imaginative, creative and undirectional. It can include playing alone or with friends and family, walking to school, dancing to music at home, or playing in the park.

Active play can occur indoors and outdoors, alone, or with friends and family. It is important for a child’s overall health and development, as it helps to:

maintain a healthy weight and protect against diseases later in life;
improve cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health;
develop lifelong language and movement skills essential for everyday living;
develop social competencies such as sharing, negotiating, working in groups, leading and resolving conflicts;
improve concentration, memory and classroom behaviour; and
increase opportunities for development of emotional intelligence (e.g. empathy, flexibility, decision making, self-awareness and self-confidence).

Ideas for classroom discussion and activities

1. Ask the students to explain why physical activity is good for them?

Answers may include:

help your body grow properly, giving you strong bones, muscles, lungs and heart
have good flexibility, balance and coordination, so you can move well
meet up with your friends and make new ones
learn how to run, throw, jump, catch and kick, which are part of lots of sports.
improve your fitness
help you stay healthy and not get sick
feel happy and full of energy
help you keep at a healthy weight
help you feel relaxed and confident
help you sleep better
improve your posture
learn new skills and challenge yourself
have fun

2. Ask the students to identify the difference between structured and unstructured active play?

You could then ask students to give you examples of what they have done this week.

3. Ask the students if they know how much physical activity they need to do a day?

Explain to students that they don’t have to do 60 minutes all at once – doing different activities throughout the day can contribute to 60 minutes.

4. Ask the students if they can explain the difference between moderate and vigorous exercise?

Explanation below:

Moderate activities make your heart beat faster and your breathing become quicker.
Vigorous activity makes you huff and puff

You could then ask students to give you examples of what vigorous activity they have done this week?