By JESSICA BOUCHARD, for Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County

Being active helps children to gain strong bones and muscles, increases their coordination, keeps their body healthy, and improves their mood and self-esteem.

If children are physically active at a young age, they will be more likely to be physically active in adulthood and thus, prevent obesity and related chronic diseases, such as heart disease and type II diabetes. The goal of engaging in physical activity for children should never be for to lose weight, but to be active and healthy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children (ages two and older) and adolescents get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. These activities do not have to be structured “exercise,” but should include active play.

The physical activities children and youths should be engaging in include aerobic (e.g. running, swimming, dancing, riding a bicycle, walking the dog, or sports such as soccer, basketball, and football), muscle strengthening (e.g. gymnastics, push-ups, swimming, playing on the monkey bars, or climbing trees) and bone strengthening activities (e.g. jumping rope, walking, or running).

These physical activities should be tailored to the child’s age and abilities.

You can encourage children to be active by setting a positive example through engaging in physical activity yourself, encouraging them to be physically active, limiting their TV and other screen time (one tip is to either remove or not install a TV in a child’s bedroom), and by making physical activity fun. Being active as a family or with friends can be both fun and encouraging for children.

Try activities that can be done outdoors (e.g. going to parks, playgrounds, beaches, or other recreation areas) to get children away from sedentary indoor activities, such as watching TV, playing video games, and being on the computer. Set aside time to be active as a family; it can be as simple as going for walk together after dinner instead of watching TV.

Fun physical activities for the whole family include: playing tag, swimming, building sand castles, playing catch, dancing around the house, hula hooping, jump roping, gardening, riding bikes, rollerblading, walking the dog, going for a walk or hike, playing team sports (e.g. basketball, volleyball, soccer, hockey, football), playing Frisbee or disc golf, Wii Fit or Kinect active games when the weather is not conducive to outdoor activity, raking leaves and then jumping in them, playing Twister, flying kites, skiing, sledding, playing hop scotch, playing croquet, taking a class (e.g. martial arts, dance, yoga, or tennis), ice skating, playing miniature golf, canoeing, kayaking, playing badminton, and many more.

It is important to remember that children should be active, not sedentary. Physical activities for children do not have to include what is termed “exercise.”

Children should be moving or playing, rather than sitting most of the day. Limiting TV and other screen time can help to increase children’s physical activity because other activities can be put in place of them. Encourage children to be active by being a positive role model and engaging in physical activities as a family.

Jessica Bouchard is an intern at Cornell Cooperative Extension