As children move their bodies throughout the day, they find it to be a source of joy, self-expression, creativity and learning. This makes the early years a key time to promote life-long active habits.
In this chapter:
- 2024 ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
- Physical activity guidelines for children
- Sedentary behaviour guidelines for children
- Sleep behaviour guidelines for children
Additional Resources:
Canadian Child Care Federation
Moving and Growing
Moving and Growing is a series designed to help children and adults develop lifelong habits of physical activity. Each illustrated booklet outlines the benefits of physical activity, how to choose appropriate activities, how to encourage physical activity and what children's developmental skills are by age group.
You can purchase a copy of Moving and Growing by filling out an order form from the Canadian Child Care Federation.
Toronto Public Health
Toronto Public Health’s website provides physical activity resources on how to get active at home, at work, in community, child care or school. You can download or call Toronto Public Health at 416-338-7600 to order these resources.
Moving on the Spot
Get kids moving and have fun… any time and any place. Moving on the Spot is a poster of a collection of ready-made stretch and movement activities that need little space and no special equipment. These activities can be done "on the spot" in just five to 10 minutes.
Outdoors: The Ultimate Playground
A physical activity resource for child care providers, educators and parents of children 6 to 12 years of age. It provides games that encourages children to be physically active throughout the year.
Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (OPHEA)
Aims to support healthy, active living in schools and communities through quality programs and services, partnerships and advocacy. They provide a diverse set of resources and education tools to help foster healthy, active living in all children and youth. Resources are geared towards elementary and secondary aged children.
Active for Life
A Canadian not-for-profit created to help parents give their children the right start in life through the development of physical literacy. They feature tools, like the printable Recipe for an Active Year, to promote the different ways of staying active all year long.
ActivePlay.ca
Resource website created by Active for Life and provides resources for child care centres on active play including educational posters, videos and a monthly newsletter.
Canadian Sport for Life
Physical literacy is developing fundamental movement skills, leading to fundamental sport skills in various decision-making situations in a variety of environments. This resource is an introduction to physical literacy.
Ontario Active School Travel
Formerly Active and Safe Routes to School, Ontario Active School Travel is a program of Green Communities Canada that aims to promote daily active travel as the main mode of transportation for students to and from schools. Promoting active school travel is a strategy take up by many schools across Canada to combat the declining levels of physical activity among children and youth. Active school travel can account up to 30 per cent of the daily recommended physical activity.
