Do my children get enough exercise....heres an average week.......

[pepsi]

dd5 - 5 minute walk to school/5 min back again every day.

2 playtimes and lunchtime play at school
Two sessions of PE at school.

One hour of tap/ballet once a week.

Some weekends we might go for a walk/bike ride or swimming, but not every weekend.

ds7 as above but does 30 mins swimming lesson instead of the ballet.

Neither of them are overweight so there is no weight issue here, just wondered what other kids their age do.

My children might not be a good comparison as they have loads of energy but:
DD(6, in 2 wks) does:
15 min walk to & 15 min from school a day
3 play sessions at school a day
2 PE lessons a week
30 min swimming
1 hr ballet/tap/modern
probably about 30 min - 1 hr running around, dancing etc at home a day
and on weekend often go out for at least an hour a day walking/biking. Unless pouring with rain.
DS(2.5) doesn't walk to school every day, probably half the time will walk home from school.
1 hr Tumble Tots,
30 min swimming
plus running about as above

But everyone has different energy levels.

I hadnt included playing at home, but I guess that will add up, dd used to do Tumble Tots, but sadly now she is at school she cant.....we really miss it too.

DS (7yrs) 10 min walk to school and back each day.
Usual playtimes and PE sessions at school.
1hr football coaching after school.
1.5 hour cricket after school.
30 mins swimming lesson after school.
On the other 2 days after school we usually spend an hour at the park (school gates open on to the park), normally this involves climbing up and get stuck in various trees along with his school friends!

DD1 (4 last week) does the 10 min walk to and from school, but twice a day.
She also has an hours ballet class once a week.
I don't drive so she also has a 1 mile walk twice a week to a mums and tots and a music group we go to.

Also whole family goes swimming for an hour or two at the weekend, but this is mainly messing about in the pool not swimming lengths.

Reading that back I can't quite work out why they both still have so much excess energy to burn!

DSs 5 and 7

10 minute walk to school and back each day.

2 playtimes and lunchtime break at school.
2 sessions of Games/PE at school each week.
1 hour street dance session at school each week.

1 hour play in park or garden after school if weather permits.Or ride around our cul de sac on bikes or roller blades.

30 minute swimming lesson each week.

At the week-ends if the weather is ok (It has to be raining to stop us) we get them out to a park for an hour or so to use their boundless energy. They also play in the garden and the street when they start to be silly and it is clear they need to be physically active. If the weather is bad will take them for an hour play at the swimming baths.

We have to exercise our boys regularly or things get pretty difficult. Friends with girls don't seem to have the same urgency to get their kids active as we do.