What are the benefits of walking to school?
2:09
(CNN) -
"3, 2, 1, ready or not, here I come!"
Children run through the park, basking in the sun as they search for their next hideout in the last round of hide and seek.
When that playtime is possible, it's probably the best part of your day.
All of that counts as exercise for children.
And although for some children it is natural, many others prefer to spend hours watching videos on YouTube or watching the television program of the moment.
Kids who spend more time in front of the screen are more likely to binge eat, study finds
According to a study published in the journal Obesity, children exercise for just two hours a week.
It's important for parents to teach children the benefits of exercise from an early age, said Dr. Nick Edwards, a sports medicine pediatrician and associate professor at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
"It is never too early to teach the concept that we need to move our bodies regularly to stay healthy, just as we teach children at an early age what kinds of foods we should eat to be healthy," he said.
advertising
Researchers have seen a decrease in the amount of physical activity that children as young as 6 do each day, according to a 2019 study published in Pediatrics.
At the same time, 8 to 12-year-olds have nearly five hours of screen time a day, while 13 to 18-year-olds spend more than seven hours glued to their screens, according to a 2019 report from Common Sense Media.
Before teaching kids the benefits of exercise, Edwards said parents should model that concept to lead by example.
When parents exercise, they can invite their children to exercise with them.
And children don't need to get several hours of exercise every day.
They should get at least an hour of physical activity a day, he said.
Although any form of movement should be encouraged, activities that make children breathe faster and sweat are better, Edwards explained.
As children grow, it is also important to include exercises that develop balance and coordination, she noted.
That can include riding a bike, jumping rope, or hula hopping.
Physical activity can be divided into two categories: aerobics and strength training, said CNN contributor Stephanie Mansour, host of "Step It Up With Steph" on PBS.
Aerobic activities raise your heart rate, which helps maintain cardiovascular health, while strength training helps build muscle, he said.
"This doesn't mean you should send your kids running or lifting weights," Mansour said.
Healthy forms of activity include frisbee, gymnastic bars or jumping on a trampoline, he said.
How much exercise, sleep and screen time should children under 5 years of age have?
Go beyond team sports
For children who do not participate in team sports, Mansour recommends that they explore other activities such as swimming or hiking with an adult.
Parents can also offer children a variety of exercise options for the child to try and select their favorite, he said.
"Letting your child find out what sports or physical activities interest them early on can give them something to look forward to while maintaining good health and fitness throughout the school year," Mansour said.
Edwards recalled being introduced to activities like tennis and skiing as a child, which he found "silly at the time," but as he got older, he realized they were a fun way to exercise.
These Nintendo Switch fitness games will make you enjoy while you exercise
He advises parents to persevere in getting their children to try new activities, especially if they are not interested in them at first.
"Even if they may not recognize it at the time, it can benefit them years later when they seek activities that they can do as adults," Edwards said.
When kids aren't motivated to exercise
One way to encourage children to exercise is to set a time limit for watching television each day, Mansour said.
Also, ask your kids to play outside before dinner, even if only for 30 minutes, he added.
"Setting up this outside playtime before dinner gives kids something to look forward to in their daily routine," he said.
Adults can also incorporate activity throughout the day, doing things like taking the stairs with their children instead of using the elevator or walking instead of driving to places, Edwards said.
This is the type and amount of exercise you need, as advised by the WHO
"The best exercise for people is what they want to do, and if it can be established as part of a person's normal routine and not as something 'extra' or 'expendable', it is more likely to be successful," he said.
Older children and teens often seek to outdo themselves when it comes to physical activity, Mansour said.
Parents should encourage their children to turn exercise into a competition against themselves to keep them motivated.
Parents should also teach their children that exercising has long-term health and fitness benefits, Mansour said, and that any form of movement can establish healthy habits for the future.
physical exercise minors