Physical activity is important for all children – especially kindergarten-aged children who, as
a whole, are less active than preschool-aged children.
For children aged 4-6, physical activity is all about energetic play that causes a child to sweat
and breathe a little harder.
Guidelines
Physical Activity Guidelines
• Children 2-4 years should accumulate 180 minutes of
physical activity at any intensity spread throughout the day.
• Children 5-11 years should accumulate at least 60 minutes
of moderate – to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily.
This should include:
– Vigorous-intensity activities at least 3 days per week.
– Activities that strengthen muscle and bone at least
3 days per week.
Canadian Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines
• Adults should minimize the amount of time kindergartenaged children spend being sedentary (doing very little
physical movement) during waking hours. This includes
prolonged sitting or motorized transport.
• For children 2-4 years, screen time should be limited
to under 1 hour per day but less is better.
• For children 5-11 years, screen time should be limited to no more than 2 hours per day
Benefits
Physical activity helps your child:
Physical activity for 4-6 year olds
• Build a healthy heart, lungs, bones,
muscles and joints
• Develop confidence in their
movement skills
• Develop positive self-esteem
• Improve the ability to deal with stress
• Develop friendships
• Promote leadership skills
• Be better prepared to learn
• Do better in school
Physical activity also promotes healthy lifestyle habits that lead to healthy and active lives.
By laying a strong foundation, children will remain physically active as they get older because
physical activity will be an important part of their lives. This will keep them healthy and prevent
certain diseases as they age.