Activity Guidelines (5 - 18 year olds)
New Zealand physical activity guidelines for children and young people (5-18 years old)
“New Zealand children and young people should:
- throughout each day, do 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity;
- be active in as many ways as possible; for example, through play, cultural activities, dance, sport and recreation, jobs, and going from place to place;
- be active with friends and whanau, at home, school, and in your community; and
- spend less than 2-hours a day (out of school time) in front of television, computers and game consoles.”
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Most Kiwis know that it’s important for adults to push play for at least 30 minutes a day. For children and young people aged 5 to 18 years old, the aim is to be active for 60 minutes each day.
The aim is to complete moderate to vigorous exercise – that means an increased heart rate and some huffing and puffing. The 60 minutes can be completed all at once or in ‘chunks’ throughout the day. This can include:
- playing games
- walking, running or riding a bike to get from place to place
- playing sport or taking part in recreation activities
- participating in cultural activities like kapa haka
- jobs
- dance.
Getting active is a great way to be social – spending time with family and friends, exploring the local community and being active during break times at school.
As well as being active every day, it’s also important for young people to limit the amount of time they spend in front of TV, computers and playing electronic games to two hours a day (out of school time).
For more ideas on how to get your children active for 60 minutes a day, see the Push Play parents webpages.
Updated | 07 Oct 2008.
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