Question 1

My child does not play sport. Can they still reach the target?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Physical activity is not the same as sport. Active play, walking, climbing stairs, cycling and helping with chores all count, as long as the movement is spread across the day.

Question 2

How do I tell moderate from vigorous activity?

Accepted Answer

During moderate activity your child breathes faster but can still hold a conversation. During vigorous activity finishing a sentence becomes hard. Brisk walking is moderate; running and jumping rope are vigorous.

Question 3

How much activity does a baby need?

Accepted Answer

For babies under one, minutes are not the measure. Several short periods of floor-based play a day are recommended, including at least 30 minutes of tummy time spread across waking hours.

Question 4

Does the hour have to be in one go?

Accepted Answer

No. Both the WHO and the CDC describe the daily target as a total that can be spread through the day, so ten minutes here and twenty there add up.

Question 5

Does PE class count towards the 60 minutes?

Accepted Answer

The active part of the lesson counts. But PE is usually only a couple of hours a week, so the daily total still needs walking to school, running at recess or playing outside after school.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions(5 questions)