Being Active Together as a Family, Can Positively Impact Your Children, and it’s Fun!
The Chief Medical Officer, Chris Witty and his Deputy, Jenny Harries were largely unknown to the general public before COVID-19. Now, either one of them grace our screens with the latest updates.
Part of the Chief Medical Officer’s ‘normal’ day job is to provide recommendations about the daily amount of physical activity we should do to help keep our bodies healthy.
So, How Much Physical Activity Should Children Do?
For children over five years of age, the recommendation is to do at least 60 minutes of activity every day. For one reason or another, this isn’t the case for the majority of children and young people.
In fact, the latest research from Sport England found that over 50% of children and young people, are not doing the recommended daily amount of physical activity.
Now, take away children running around at break time, in PE lessons, or doing the daily mile. Then also take away any sports clubs they may have been taking part in.
Suddenly, the likelihood is, that the number of active minutes a child will get in a day, will have dropped significantly.
What Can Parents Do to Support Their Children in Remaining Active at Home?
Usually, time and the lack of it is cited as a major barrier to taking part in physical activity.
However, with the Latest Government Advice to stay at home, you may find you have a little bit more time on your hands. Or, if not more spare time, certainly more time spent with your children.
What better way to use this additional time than being active with your children.
Research tells us that families and their dynamics are of central importance to an individual’s participation levels in physical activity:
Parents can be a role model for active behaviour by taking part with their children.
Children tend to be more active when their parents themselves are more active.
Children are also more likely to prioritise being active later in life, if they see their parents being physically active.
With So Many Home Activities Out There, It’s Often Hard to Decide What To Do
With home learning fast becoming the new normal, the tsunami of online physical activity resources from celebrities, sports professionals, the fitness industry and our children’s schools (to name just a few) can feel a little overwhelming.
To help with this and to make life easier for you, Active Devon has set up a range of tools and resources for all the family. This includes tips and advice on staying active, plus a range of free online activity sessions.
From intensive workouts with the Body Coach to practicing your moves with Exim Dance Company, there is plenty to do. And, you’ll have lots of fun together!
To see our full timetable of activity sessions, plus lots more click here.
#StayInWorkOut
So, the next time you see Chris Witty or Jenny Harries on the television, remember not just their advice about how to stay safe from COVID-19, but also their advice about how to stay active and healthy.
Whether it’s joining in with Joe Wicks’ bunny hops or dancing around your living room to a ‘Disney Dance-Alongs’ video, simply joining in can make a huge difference. Not only will this be good for you and your children right now, but you’ll also be shaping your children for life. #StayInWorkOut
This article is written by Rebecca Skinner – Programmes Manager Leading on Active Families at Active Devon
During these strange and challenging times, we believe that:
“Everybody should stay at home and follow the latest government advice, protecting the NHS and saving lives. However, it is also more important than ever that people keep moving, as physical activity is crucial to good health and mental wellbeing. Throughout this crisis, here at Active Devon we’re doing all we can to support you, your family and your community, so that you have the tools and resources to remain active whatever the situation.” #StayInWorkOut
