Physical Fitness For Children

A national standard of physical fitness for children is determined by the President’s Challenge. The President’s Challenge is relevant to children age 2 and older. As a child grows older, the particular benchmarks for fitness will change accordingly. The President’s Challenge provides instructions, fitness tasks and scoring rubrics.

The fitness tasks include a shuttle run which tests endurance as well as pull-ups, push-ups and v-sits which tests a child’s strength. The exact benchmarks vary depending on a child’s gender and age. If a child scores an 85% or above in the above referenced areas, he or she is considered to be fit, in that category, for their age and gender.

Another good resource to determine if a child is fit, is the National Association of Sports and Physical Education. They also have a series of physical fitness tests and a rubric for scoring results. The National Association of Sports and Physical Education does recommend that a child who is age two or over, engage in modest to vigorous exercise for sixty minutes, most days of the week, in order to obtain and maintain a good level of physical fitness.

There are a variety of locations where a child’s fitness level can be tested. The most likely place for a child’s fitness level to be tested is at school. Another venue for fitness testing would be a local health club or the YMCA. The President’s Challenge and the National Association of Sports and Physical Education do lay out specific instructions on how to do the testing, so a child may even take the fitness test at home.

An active lifestyle with an average of sixty minutes a day of vigorous exercise through a variety of activities, will maintain and enhance a child’s level of physical fitness. It is a good idea to limit the amount of time a child spends on media entertainment such as tv and video games, in order to allow ample free time to play and get enough exercise.

Some of the activities children enjoy which develop various areas of physical fitness are: soccer, dancing, playing capture the flag, swimming, playing on the monkey bars, yoga and playing baseball. Playing a variety of these activities or “cross-training” will help to develop a child’s level of fitness in all three areas of strength, flexibility and endurance. Engaging in physical activities with other children will also help to develop their social skills and enhance a child’s self-esteem.

A good, well-balanced healthy diet is also an important component of developing and maintaining a good level of fitness. A diet low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt and sugar is important. A child benefits from eating plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean protein.

More detailed information on what comprises a healthy diet for children, may be found through the United States Department of Agriculture, which has specific guidelines geared towards children.

The benefits of being fit are many. Some of the physical benefits of exercise are: strong muscles and good bone density, a leaner body, a child will be less likely to be overweight, sleep better at night and will be more able to handle the stresses of a daily life. A child will also be able to concentrate better, will have better self-esteem and a more positive outlook on life.

A child’s blood pressure will also be lower and his or her risk of developing type two diabetes will be lowered. If a child engages in regular physical activities with other children, by playing a team sport such as baseball or soccer, he or she will also form new friendships and learn valuable social skills. A child who is active and socially-engaged, also has a much lower risk of depression.