What is physical activity in children?

Regular physical activity is essential for your child’s health, growth and development. Kids need to be active every day. But most children don’t get enough exercise.

Children aged one to five need to be active for at least three hours every day. Your child’s physical activity should be spread throughout the day. Avoid keeping your child sitting still (inactive) for more than one hour at a time.

Children aged five to 17 need several hours of physical activity a day. Encourage a mix of activities that make them “huff and puff” (get their hearts pumping) and strengthen their muscles and bones.

As well as encouraging exercise, aim to limit the amount of time your child spends on devices to less than two hours a day, not counting schoolwork.