Healthy bodies, Healthy minds

Benefits of Sport and Physical Activity?

Why Is Sport Important for Children and Youth?

It is well documented that participation in sport and physical activity positively impacts a child’s health and overall growth and development, especially a child with a physical disability. Children today are less active and have poorer eating habits than in the past , resulting in an increase in childhood obesity levels.

Participation in sport and having an active lifestyle results

Want to get your child active and involved in sport?
Call BlazeSports today at 770.850.8199 for a free leisure counseling session with our therapeutic recreation staff.
We can make that critical first time experience a positive one.

• improved fitness (eg strength, balance, coordination and flexibility)
• higher self esteem
• greater independence
• better academic performance
• higher sociability
• increased ability to perform activities of daily living
• decreased secondary medical conditions such as pressure sores, bladder infections
• the prevention of overweight and obesity

How Much Physical Activity Does Your Child Need?

Infants

Interact with parents/caregivers in physical activity and movement through out the day
Source: National Association for Sport and Physical Education

Toddlers and Preschoolers

Toddlers should accumulate at least 30 minutes of structured physical activity each day.

Preschoolers should accumulate at least 60 minutes of structured physical activity each day.

Toddlers and Preschoolers should engage in at least 60 minutes and up to several hours per day of daily, unstructured physical activity (active play) and should not be sedentary for more than 60 minutes at a time except when sleeping.
Source: National Association for Sport and Physical Education

Children and Adolescents

Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of physical activity daily.

Aerobic: Most of the 60 or more minutes a day should be either moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, and should include vigorous-intensity physical activity at least 3 days a week.
Muscle-strengthening: As part of their 60 or more minutes of daily physical activity, children and adolescents should include muscle-strengthening physical activity on at least 3 days of the week.
Bone-strengthening: As part of their 60 or more minutes of daily physical activity, children and adolescents should include bone-strengthening physical activity on at least 3 days of the week.
Source: U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans