When you are growing your body needs plenty of activity to strengthen your muscles and to keep your heart fighting fit!
Physical activity doesn’t have to be boring, there are many ways in which our bodies can get the physical activity it needs, such as:
- Walking/cycling to school
- Joining a sports club
- Dancing
- Swimming
- Playing games
- Visiting the park
- Trampolining
Physical activity is an essential part of healthy growth and development and can lead to stronger bones, muscles and joints. It can also help with your posture and balance.
There are many benefits to staying active. Not only does it help your body burn energy to help with maintaining a healthy weight but it’s also really good for your emotional health. It can help to relieve stress by releasing chemicals called endorphins which lead to feelings of happiness and increased wellbeing.
Generally it is advised that young people need around 60 active minutes each day. Small changes can be made to help achieve this such as walking to school, taking the stairs instead of using a lift/ escalator and having a break from screen time by playing outside.
It might be a good idea to get all the family involved in increasing their physical activity so you can help each other in staying healthy. Perhaps suggesting trips to the local park at the weekend and encouraging small changes such as walking to the shops instead of taking the car.