Active childhood

Why is it so important to be active during childhood?

Being active as a child is very important because it helps your body grow strong and healthy. It makes your bones, muscles, and heart work better. Plus, it’s a lot of fun!

The World Health Organization (WHO) says children aged 5 to 17 should be active for 1 hour every day. This can be doing sports like dancing, swimming, or football, but it can also be simple activities like walking to school, riding a bike, or playing at the park.

Ideas to get more active:

Walk to and from school instead of driving.
Visit the park.
Spend time in the garden playing games. If there is room for a swing or slide, these can be really good ways to encourage physical activity.
Set up obstacle courses at home or in the garden. Encourage your child to get involved and help to set it up.
Make use of after school clubs.
Riding a bike or tricycle.
Soft play or swimming are great ways to get active and have fun.
See if there is a local forest school your child could join.

Remember

Make it fun! Link the activity to your child’s interests. For example, if your child is interested in cars, you could play a racing game.
Be mindful of the types of toys you buy for your child. Toys like scooters, balls and skipping ropes will help your child to be more active.
Start slowly and add more activities each week to make sure they don’t get hurt or too tired.

Websites and resources

Last reviewed: September 2025