Kids' Activities

Aerobic, Muscle and Bone Strengthening: What Counts?

To get you started, here is a list of possible activities that children and adolescents can do as found on the Center for Disease Control web site. These activities serve as a guide, so encourage your child to do any of them, as long as they are age-appropriate.

Many of these activities fall under two or three different categories, making it possible for your child do each type of activity – vigorous-intensity aerobic, muscle- and bone-strengthening activity – on at least 3 days each week. Also, some activities, such as bicycling or basketball, can be done at either a moderate- or a vigorous-intensity, depending on your child's level of effort.

Type of Physical Activity	Children	Adolescents
Moderate Intensity Aerobic	- Active recreation such as hiking, skateboarding, rollerblading - Bicycle riding - Walking to school	- Active recreation, such as canoeing, hiking, cross-country skiing, skateboarding, rollerblading - Brisk walking - Bicycle riding (stationary or road bike) - House and yard work such as sweeping or pushing a lawn mower - Playing games that require catching and throwing, such as baseball, softball, basketball and volleyball
Vigorous Intensity Aerobic	- Active games involving running and chasing, such as tag - Bicycle riding - Jumping rope - Martial arts, such as karate - Running - Sports such as ice or field hockey, basketball, swimming, tennis or gymnastics	- Active games involving running and chasing, such as flag football, soccer - Bicycle riding - Jumping rope - Martial arts such as karate - Running - Sports such as tennis, ice or field hockey, basketball, swimming - Vigorous dancing - Aerobics - Cheerleaders or gymnastics
Muscle Strengthening	- Games such as tug of war - Modified push-ups (with knees on the floor) - Resistance exercises using body weight or resistance bands - Rope or tree climbing - Sit-ups - Swinging on playground equipment/bars - Gymnastics	- Games such as tug of war - Push-ups - Resistance exercises with exercise bands, weight machines, hand-held weights - Rock climbing - Sit-ups - Cheer leading or Gymnastics
Bone Strengthening	- Games such as hop-scotch - Hopping, skipping, jumping - Jumping rope - Running - Sports such as gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, tennis	- Hopping, skipping, jumping - Jumping rope - Running - Sports such as gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, tennis

Information on this page has been in part provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and our local community resources. Before starting any physical activity program consult your health care professional or physician.