American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance - AAHPERD

Issue: April 2009

Children and Exercise: Appropriate Practices for Grades K-6
Michele Fisher

Abstract: Growth and development have a profound effect on physical fitness, response to exercise, and exercise programming in children. This article reviews the essential pediatric exercise physiology concepts relevant to physical education programs for K-6 children. Indices of physical fitness such as cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, and short burst fitness improve throughout childhood as a function of body growth, so physical educators must be aware of the role of growth and development when interpreting results from fitness testing. Exercise programming for young children should focus on the development of basic motor skills and general physical activity habits rather than on intense efforts to improve fitness. Children need 60 minutes or more of age-appropriate physical activity on a daily basis and much of that activity should be intermittent in nature. Elementary physical education specialists should plan activities with careful consideration for the effect of growth and development on exercise, and incorporate sufficient flexibility in programming so that children at different stages in maturation can be successful.

Article category: Fitness