Physical Activity

• Physical activity
  • Babies under one year old should be active several times a day. Use floor play (e.g., crawling or playing ball) and at least 30 minutes of tummy time throughout the day.
  • Children ages one to four should do 180 minutes of activity every day with harder activities as they age.
  • Vary the activities.
• Sedentary time
  • Babies and children should spend less than one hour sitting at a time (e.g., in a stroller or highchair).
  • Children under two years old should not watch TV at all.
  • Children two to four years of age should watch less than one hour of TV each day.
• Sleep
  • Ages 0 – 3 months: 14 – 17 hours
  • Ages 4 – 11 months: 12 – 16 hours
  • Ages 1 – 2 years: 11 – 14 hours
  • Ages 3 – 4 years: 10 – 13 hours

Guidelines for early years

• Moderate to vigorous physical activity
  • Children and youth should be physically active for at least 60 minutes every day
    • Moderate activity makes you sweat (e.g., riding bikes)
    • Vigorous activity makes you sweat and be out of breath (e.g., swimming or running)
    • Children and youth should do vigorous activity at least three days a week
• Light physical activity
  • Do several hours of many easier activities every day (e.g., walking to school)
• Sedentary time
  • Time spent on screens should be less than two hours per day (e.g., watching TV, playing video games, and on the computer)
• Sleep
  • Ages 5 – 13 years: 9 – 11 hours
  • Ages 14 – 17 years: 8 – 10 hours

Guidelines for children & youth

• Moderate to vigorous physical activity
  • At least 150 minutes each week doing aerobic activities. Activities should be at least 10 minutes long.
    • Moderate activities make you sweat (e.g., riding a bike or walking)
    • Vigorous activities make you sweat and be out of breath (e.g., swimming or running)
  • At least two days of strength activities each week (e.g., lift weights).
• Light physical activity
  • Several hours of light activity daily (e.g., walking, biking)
• Sedentary Behaviour
  • 8 hours or less every day
    • 3 hours or less of fun screen time every day
  • Break up long periods of stillness to move and stretch
• Sleep
  • 7 - 9 hours

Guidelines for adults

• Moderate to vigorous physical activity
  • At least 150 minutes each week doing aerobic activities. Activities should be at least 10 minutes long.
    • Moderate activities make you sweat (e.g., riding a bike or walking)
    • Vigorous activities make you sweat and be out of breath (e.g., swimming or running)
  • At least two days of strength activities each week (e.g., lift weights).
• Light physical activity
  • Several hours of light activity daily (e.g., walking, biking)
  • Balance activities every day (e.g., yoga, Tai Chi)
• Sedentary Behaviour
  • 8 hours or less every day
    • 3 hours or less of fun screen time every day
  • Break up long periods of stillness to move and stretch
• Sleep
  • 7 – 8 hours

Guidelines for older adults