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FUNdamental Fitness in Children
adapted from Faigenbaum, A. D. (1998). FUNdamental fitness in children. ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, 2(2), 18-23.

Parents (and grandparents) care about their children (and grandchildren) and want them to be healthy. Physical activity is one way of maintaining health in children, just as it is in adults. In the current climate of low budgets in public schools, unfortunately, physical education is often neglected. Parents, therefore, must try to provide safe and effective programs to help their children enjoy physical activity.

Childhood is an important time for developing healthy attitudes and behavior patterns. We must remember, however, that children are not miniature adults. They are still growing and they may also be experiencing new types of physical activity for the first time. Therefore, the focus of activity for children should be on learning new skills and on having fun. Children should be encouraged to try new activities, and the programs should be organized so that they have time to learn these new skills at a pace that allows them to have fun. We need to realize that adult exercise guidelines and training philosophies should not be imposed on children. Youth programs should focus on non-competitive, age-specific games and activities that keep everyone moving. Enhancing cardiorespiratory fitness and improving blood lipid profiles may be important motivating factors for adults, but most children just want to have fun, build friendships, and improve physical skills. (Actually, those sound like good goals for adults, too.)

Parents might want to follow the Children's Lifetime Physical Activity Model. The model recommends:

• daily physical activity, accomplished in frequent activity sessions (3 or more) each day;
• moderate intensity activity, alternating bouts of activity with rest periods as needed or
• moderate activity such as walking or riding a bike to school and/or on errands;
• enough time spent in physical activity to expend 3-4 kilocalories per kilogram of body
• weight per day (minimum) or 6-8 kilocalories per kilogram of body weight per day (optimal).
  
  How should this activity be organized? The recommendations suggest:
• health-related activity rather than competitive games;
• work on fundamental physical activity skills - and fun
• locomotive skills like running, skipping, hopping, jumping
• non-locomotive skills like twisting, balancing, kicking
• manipulative skills like catching, throwing.
  
  10 Tips for Healthy Physical Activity Programs with Your Children

1. Play down competition and escape from the "no pain, no gain" attitude.
2. Enjoy the benefits of simply playing. (It's good for parents, too.)
3. Most people learn best by doing; keep practicing until a new skill becomes easier.
4. Recognize individual needs and capabilities.
5. Provide close and competent adult supervision.
6. Know and explain necessary rules, risks, and emergency procedures.
7. Respect each other and listen to each other's concerns.
8. Focus on intrinsic factors such as skill improvement, personal successes, and excitement.
9. Avoid regimentation; enjoy a variety of activities.
10. Be a good role model and lead a healthy lifestyle.