For kids ten and under, a daily dose of fitness is just as important! Maybe even more so, since it can help protect kids against future health problems by giving them a head start on developing a healthy and active lifestyle. While all children age chronologically the same, their physiological development can vary a great deal. Consequently, they develop skills at different ages. Just because the child next door can juggle three balls at age seven doesn't mean that all seven-year-olds should be able to do this. Because of this dynamic, it is virtually impossible to specify exercise-readiness ages with much success. It also becomes difficult to suggest optimal amounts of time and exercise types for young children and young adolescents. Most experts agree, however, that activities and exercises need to be individualized for each child and based largely on maturity level, skill level and the prior experiences of the child. Here are some general guidelines, to keep in mind when beginning an exercise program for children created by the National Association for Sports and Physical Education and the American College of Sports Medicine. Ages 2-6: Active Play! * At this age, let kids be kids!!! They are at the early stages of their physical development, so keep it simple and playful. Focus on the fundamentals; on activities and games that build basic motor skills such as throwing, catching, running, jumping, skipping, and hopping! Although the movements may seem simple, they contribute to the proper development of the child's muscular and nervous system. Encourage participation, rather then competition. A regular "exercise program" is not recommended. Suggested activities include: *Playing catch . . . . *Tumbling . . . . *Jump Roping . . . . *Swimming . . . . *Tag *Hopscotch . . . . *Dance . . . . *Kickball . . . . *Riding a bike . . . . *Wrestling Ages 7-10: Keep them Moving! School aged children are recommended to: * Get 60 or more minutes of physical activity every day! * Accumulate activity throughout the day, which can be broken down into bouts of 15 minutes or more. * Avoid inactivity of 2 hours or more. * Children in this age group generally have a good grasp of basic movement, and fundamental motor skills. The next step is to channel those motor skills into more challenging activities and games. For instance, instead of just kicking a ball, ask them to kick it for distance, or for accuracy or for height. *Simplified versions of team sports may also become attractive to kids at this stage. Although, some may not be able to handle the more complex movements and skills or emotional demands, of some of the organized competitive sports. * At this stage a child's body tissues are susceptible to injury because they have a low tolerance to lactic acid accumulation. Consequently, strength activities that engage multiple parts of the body in complex movements are recommended. Encourage the kids to move their joints through the full range of motion. Strength activities that challenge them to lift their own body weight are recommended such as climbing, calisthenics, gymnastics. With proper instruction weight training also can be extremely beneficial. Suggested activities for kids aged 7-10 include: *Basketball . . . . *Kickball . . . . *Bicycle . . . . *Baseball . . . . *Tennis . . . . *Table Tennis *Juggling . . . . *Soccer . . . . *Yoga . . . . *Skating . . . . *Martial Arts . . . . *Gymnastics Ages 11 and Up: Team Sports! & Athletic Formation! *Usually by the age of 10-11, most children's motor skills have developed enough to enable them to begin the more complex activities associated with organized competitive team sports. Also at this stage of development, most experts agree that it is safe and appropriate to begin an actual "exercise" program, such as aerobic or resistance training. Click here to go to the activity pyramid for youth 11 and older.