Image of children gathering together while playing sports.
Healthy and active children
Benefits of physical activity for children
Children over 5 should be physically active for at least 60 minutes each day. Encourage your child to be active and set them up for a healthy life.
Safe exercise for children
Your child needs to exercise safely, so there are some simple rules to remember. Know how much exercise is right and why warming up is important.
Developing life skills through sports
Sport isn’t just good for children’s bodies. Sport has psychological benefits for children and adolescents, and teaches them important life skills.
Safe sports environment for children
Learn how sporting groups and parents can provide an environment that is safe, supportive and fair for children who play sport.
Hydration tips for children
Children are sometimes at risk of dehydration, especially in hot weather and when exercising. Using these tips will help them stay safe and healthy.
Healthy eating for children
Encourage healthy eating habits in children by planning meals and shopping for healthy food. Being at a healthy weight helps children enjoy life more.
Children with asthma and exercise
Exercise-induced asthma is not a reason for children to avoid sport. It is usually managed easily and should be included in your child’s asthma plan.
Dental care for children
Tooth decay is rising, so it’s vital to teach your child good oral health habits. Learn tips on cleaning their teeth and when to seek further help.
Personal hygiene for children
Having good personal hygiene can boost your child's self-esteem as well as keep them healthy. Find tips and links to support them here.
Sleep tips for children
Sleep is vital for a child’s growth, learning and development. Find out how much sleep children need, and learn some ways to help them sleep well.
Need more information?
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Top results
Physical activity and exercise for children
Here is trusted advice about how much daily exercise your child needs for good health and fitness and how you can encourage your child to be more active.
Read more on Pregnancy, Birth & Baby website
Healthy habits for a healthy life: 12 tips | Raising Children Network
Tips for avoiding childhood overweight and obesity by leading a healthy, active family lifestyle.
Read more on Raising Children Network website
Healthy Kids : Healthy Kids Activities
See great new activities and experiments for children using water, fruit and vegetables.
Read more on Healthy Kids website
Healthy Kids : Kids Activities
You can download and track your weekly activities with the Healthy Kids Activity Diary, complete a Healthy Kids quiz, get some ideas to try in the kitchen and look up some physical activity ideas.
Read more on Healthy Kids website
Healthy Kids : Activity Diary
Download and print the Healthy Kids Activity Diary. Kids can keep track of how much physical activity they engage in every week.
Read more on Healthy Kids website
Healthy Kids : Being Active
Facts about physical activity for children aged 5 to 12 years
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Healthy Kids : Physical Activity
National recommendations on physical activity levels for Australian children from birth to eighteen years of age.
Read more on Healthy Kids website
Healthy Kids : Active Transport
Active transport involves any physical activity that gets you from one place to another, e.g. walking skateboarding or cycling. Learn more about teens getting active while getting around.
Read more on Healthy Kids website
How can I prevent my child from becoming overweight? Dietitians Association of Australia
How can I prevent my child from becoming overweight? Right from the start, encourage your whole family to adopt a healthy lifestyle by: Eating a healthy, balanced diet Being physically active
Read more on Dietitians Association of Australia website
Healthy Kids : Not Being Active
Learn more about the effects of too much screen time and recommendations for maximum screen time for kids
Read more on Healthy Kids website
Top results
Healthy Kids : National Child Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey: 2007
Key findings from the 2007 Australian National Childrens Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey on the food habits, physical activity patterns and weight status of children in NSW.
Read more on Healthy Kids website
Healthy Kids : NSW Population Child Health Survey
Key findings from the 2009-10 Australian National Childrens Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey on the food habits, physical activity patterns and weight status of Australian children.
Read more on Healthy Kids website
Healthy Kids : NSW School Students Health Behaviours Survey: 2011
Outlines of some of the key findings from the 2011 Australian National Childrens Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey on the food habits, physical activity patterns and weight status of children in NSW.
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Healthy Kids : Make Healthy Normal
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Diet, physical activity, and behavioural interventions for the treatment of overweight or obesity in preschool children up to the age of 6 years | Cochrane
Diet, physical activity, and behavioural interventions for the treatment of overweight or obesity in preschool children up to the age of 6 years
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Healthy Kids : Population Survey reports
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Parent-only interventions for childhood overweight or obesity in children aged 5 to 11 years | Cochrane
How effective are diet, physical activity and behavioural interventions delivered to parents only in reducing the weight of overweight and obese children?
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Calcium for improving bone mineral density in children | Cochrane
While there is a small effect of calcium supplementation in the upper limb, the increase in BMD which results is unlikely to result in a clinically significant decrease in fracture risk. The results do not support the use of calcium supplementation in healthy children as a public health intervention. These results cannot be extrapolated to children with medical conditions affecting bone metabolism.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Exercise for preventing and treating anxiety and depression in children and young people | Cochrane
Exercise is promoted as an active strategy to prevent and treat depression and anxiety. We found that the research data are sparse and mostly done on college students. Six small trials indicate that exercise decreases reported anxiety scores in healthy children when compared to no intervention. Five small trials indicate that exercise decreases reported depression scores when compared to no intervention. The research base for children in treatment is scarce; only three small trials investigated the effect of exercise in depression.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Healthy Kids : Deloitte Access Economics report on vegetable consumption
Deloitte Access Economics has modelled the impact that increased vegetable consumption would have on reducing government health expenditure, and the returns to producers as a result of the increased consumption.
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