Physical activity for children

For children, physical activity isn't a sports programme but a basic need – and the WHO sets a clear bar: an average of at least 60 minutes a day that gets them sweating or out of breath. On three days a week, this should include something really strenuous that strengthens muscles and bones: climbing, hopping, gymnastics, rough-and-tumble play. Germany's National Recommendations for Physical Activity go even further: preschool children should be active for 180 minutes a day, schoolchildren and teenagers for 90 minutes – 60 of which can be everyday activity, such as walking to school.

The reality looks rather different: according to the KiGGS study by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Germany's public health agency (2014–2017), only about one in four children in Germany meets the WHO's 60-minute recommendation, and girls even less often than boys. The proportion drops markedly with age – most sharply during puberty.

The good news: the 60 minutes don't have to happen all in one go or at a sports club. Walking or cycling to school, letting off steam at the playground, playing tag in the garden, the trampoline, dancing in the living room, taking the stairs instead of the lift – it all adds up. A pedometer or an activity challenge makes this visible and exciting for children.

The most important factor is enjoyment. Children stick with what's fun and what they can share with others. Let your child try out different sports without any pressure to perform; clubs offer taster sessions. And get moving together: family bike rides, hikes with a destination, ball games in the park – children of active parents are more often active themselves.

For children who are overweight: no punishment laps, no “you have to”. Exercise is never a punishment for eating – it's something the body gets to do. Anyone who experiences movement as a joy is more likely to stick with it for life.