Physical Fitness By Age Groups

We all need to be physically fit from the youngest child to the elderly. We all have different fitness needs and we all have different health requirements. Here is a handy guide to physical fitness by age group.

Your 2 and 3 year old will be developing habits that will affect her/him for a lifetime so make they healthy habits right from the start. Those kids who learn from an early age to make fitness a part of daily life will continue to do this for a lifetime which will encourage health and physical wellness. When children develop the habit of fitness they also learn healthful behaviors, have an improved self-esteem, and experience fewer bouts of illness even those that can be serious later in life like cardiac disease, and stroke.

Parents should become role models of physical fitness so that their children will be able to emulate what they see.

Children with health issues or disabilities can also participate in physical fitness although some activities may need to be modified. Consult the child’s pediatrician for advice on what is appropriate.

Generally in the 2 to 3 year old age group they can do unstructured play such as running, swinging, climbing, and playing in sandboxes or water play areas. Children ages 2 and 3 can learn to jump with both feet, skip and run. They can have the ability to change direction and go both backwards and forwards. They will enjoy joining organized activities such as peewee leagues. Safety should always be a main concern with any age child. Parents should never force a child to participate in structured activities. A pediatrician should check out a toddler who refuses to play or be active, especially if they complain of being overly tired or experience pain when they try to be physically active.

Your 4 or 5 year olds benefit from physical fitness in health and in being able to master social skill and to be able to learn how to meet new challenges. Children in this age group are learning how to coordinate their body parts and can participate in organized games with for fun and to be with friends. They can handle large balls, and know how to play catch. They may be able to ride a bike without training wheels but lack the judgment, coordination skills and safety awareness yet to ride in areas that contain traffic.

Swimming, dancing, skating and skiing are all activities that this age group can begin to learn.

Make sure kids wear helmets when using anything with wheels. Supervise them when crossing streets and teach them how to cross safely. Make sure that children use sunscreen when playing outside to avoid the pain of sunburn.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that children do not participate in trampoline activities due to the high number of injuries in all age groups.

Physical fitness for those 6 to 12 years of age revolves around learning new skills and participating successfully in teams as well as being able to master individual sports. Children of this group enjoy organized and unorganized activities such as noncompetitive sports like swimming, ice-skating, gymnastics, dance, and nonviolent martial arts. At age 11 children may begin to learn how to lift lightweights under supervision. During puberty (starting at 8.5 for girls and age 9 for boys) children can experience growth spurts, which means bones are growing quickly. Their muscles and tendons are not growing as quickly as bones so they can become short, and tight and more easily injured.

Age 13 and up choose physical activities based on interest and skill. They can begin to participate in both competitive and non-competitive sports. They enjoy skateboarding, in-line skating, rock climbing and snowboarding. They also are into weight training under supervision. It is important to teach kids in this older age group to use proper equipment and to learn how to use proper posture and to follow rules.