It has long been medically proven that physical activity every day contributes significantly to how healthy a child is. It reduces child obesity, prediabetes, fatty liver disease, and alleviates ADHD, anxiety, and depression.

Despite parents knowing this, most children fall short of the recommended hours of physical activity. One main factor is that children do not know how to be active. They don’t enjoy it.

The association of pediatricians in the United States of America (AAP) recommends that pediatricians include assessments of physical literacy and counseling as part of general practice. They even recommended writing formal prescriptions for caregivers to follow about physical activities for children. AAP encourages physicians to advocate for activities, centers, communities wherein children can play, live, and learn.

Guidelines to ensure your child’s is getting enough activity:

• Your child can freely play outside
• Your child participates in organized sports – gymnastics, track, and swimming are some very good activities to enhance physical literacy development
• Your child’s school has to focus on physical education courses that will increase skill development and movement.
• Your child’s school recognizes that it plays an important role in reducing your child’s inactivity and takes seriously its role in providing activities before during and after school
• The time for recess and the classrooms provide opportunities for your child to be active.
• Recess and time for play is not withheld as a punishment method for poor behavior.