Fabian’s Exercise Guide for Children
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We all know that it’s important to do regular exercise as it has many physical and mental benefits. In this guide I will try and help you understand why this is important for children and give you some simple ideas on how children can do more exercise. Fit 4 Fun is in support of Change4Life. In order to maintain a healthy weight we need to both eat better and move more. Many families are making changes that will help them live healthier and longer lives. Visit www.wales.gov.uk/changelife for more information.
Why do children need exercise? Active children are happy children—they love to be running around having fun! Activity also raises children’s heartbeats and helps pump blood around their bodies. It’s like a mini workout for their lungs and muscles! It also decreases their chances of getting lifethreatening diseases. A good dose of fresh air and exercise also helps us all sleep better. So tiring out kids with activity every day will help them nod off at a good hour and make them feel alert for the next day.
How much exercise should a child have? Children should be getting about 60 minutes of physical activity every day. This will help burn off calories and prevent them storing up excess fat in the body which can lead to cancer, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It also keeps their bones healthy and encourages muscle strength and flexibility. The activity itself isn’t that important as long as it gets their heart pumping. So this can be playing games, sports, or just getting out and about!
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Exercise tips for different age groups 2-3 year olds At this age toddlers are developing their motor skills, such as running and throwing. Children at this age have energy to spare for physical activity, so they can benefit from up to 1 ½ hours of daily exercise. A good exercise plan is to allow them 60 minutes of unstructured activity that is something they’re conducting as well as 30 minutes of structured exercise time. Recommended exercises for this age group include traditional games like ‘tag’ and ‘leap frog’ as well as activities that include age appropriate toys. Even a trip to the park is an easy way to get in an hour of exercise with your child.
4-5 year olds By the time your child is 4-5 years old they have developed their motor skills enough to control the basics. At this stage they are working on further improving balance and increasing their physical skill set. Though an hour is the minimum required amount of physical activity in this age group up to 2 hours of exercise is beneficial. The exercise should be split between an hour of structured activity that you plan and an hour of unstructured activity that the child is able to decide on. At this age, focus on activities that help them work on their balance and hand-eye coordination like ‘catch’ or gymnastics. Depending on your child’s physical abilities and comfort level more involved exercises like learning to swim or ride a bike is also an option. From 4-5 years old is also when your child can start participating in smaller scale sports centered activities. However, you should try to limit the number of people involved and only focus on the basics of the game.
6-12 year olds During the age from 6-12 it’s important to start really laying the groundwork for healthy exercise habits. This is the time when children can really start becoming more involved with the decisions they make in regards to exercise. This is also when many children start participating in organised sports teams. From 6-12 years old, 60 minutes of exercise is the required minimum. This is when you can help your child really develop a fitness routine with team sports that meet a few times a week as well as activities they can do regularly at home. There’s also the option of enrolling them in activities like a yoga class, rock climbing or even a kid-friendly gym.
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Here are some of my fun ideas on how children can get the exercise they need....and remember everyone can join in.....young or old!
Indoor fun x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Have a game of hide and seek Play some board games Make an indoor den using some chairs, tables, sheets and towels Make an indoor obstacle course...crawl under blankets, hop over cushions and zigzag through shoes Have a go on a skipping rope Help with the cooking Have a game of catch...better use a soft ball though! Get those arms going by playing with some yo-yos Have an indoor picnic Put on your CDs and have a disco! Try and hop on the spot for 10mins Keep a hula hoop going for as long as possible Grab a brush and have a go at limbo
Outdoor fun x x x x x x
Have a game of tag Go on a treasure hunt Go on a bike ride Have a game of hop scotch Build a den in the garden Stage your own family Olympics—have a sack race, egg & spoon race, who can throw the ball the furthest competition and much more! x Grab a bat and ball and have a game of rounders, cricket or even ‘french cricket’
Fun...whatever the weather! Don’t let a bit of rain, wind or snow spoil the fun—just wrap up warm and try these fun activities….. x x x x x x x x
Fly a kite Play ‘catch the flying leaves’ Try running against the wind Have a snowball fight Make a snowman or a giant snowball Go sledging Play ‘muddy puddle’ jumping Dodge the raindrops www.fit4funwales.com
Dyma rai o fy syniadau llawn hwyl i wneud yn siǒr bod plant yn cael yr ymarfer corff y mae arnynt ei angen...a chofiwch y gall pawb ymuno...beth bynnag fo’u hoed!
Hwyl dan do x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Chwarae gêm o guddio Chwarae gemau bwrdd Gwneud cuddfan dan do gan ddefnyddio cadeiriau, byrddau, cynfasau a thyweli Gwneud ras rwystrau dan do...cropian dan flancedi, hopian dros glustogau a rhedeg igam-ogam rhwng parau o esgidiau Rhoi cynnig ar raff sgipio Helpu gyda’r coginio Chwarae gêm o ddal pêl…ond gwell ichi ddefnyddio pêl feddal! Symud eich breichiau drwy chwarae gyda io-io Cael picnic dan do Rhoi cryno-ddisg yn y peiriant a chynnal disgo! Ceisio hopian yn yr unfan am 10 munud Ceisio troelli cylch o amgylch eich canol cyn hired â phosibl Gafael mewn brws a rhoi cynnig ar ddawnsio limbo
Hwyl tu fas x Chwarae tic x Mynd ar helfa drysor x Mynd am dro ar y beic x Chwarae gêm o sgots (hopscotch) x Adeiladu cuddfan yn yr ardd x Cynnal Gemau Olympaidd ar gyfer y teulu—ras sachau, ras wy ar lwy, cystadleuaeth pwy sy’n gallu taflu’r bêl bellaf, a llawer mwy! x Gafael mewn bat a phêl a chwarae gêm o rownderi, criced neu hyd yn oed griced coesau!
Hwyl...beth bynnag fo’r tywydd! Peidiwch â gadael i fymryn o law, gwynt neu eira ddifetha’r hwyl—gwisgwch yn gynnes a rhowch gynnig ar un o’r gweithgareddau hwyliog yma…..
x x x x x x x x
Hedfan barcut Chwarae ‘dal y dail sy’n hedfan’ Ceisio rhedeg yn erbyn y gwynt Cael brwydr peli eira Gwneud dyn eira neu belen eira anferth Mynd am dro ar sled Chwarae neidio mewn pyllau mwdlyd Osgoi’r diferion glaw www.fit4funwales.com
Cyngor ar ymarfer corff i blant o wahanol oed Plant 2-3 oed Ar yr oedran yma mae plant bach yn datblygu eu sgiliau echddygol fel rhedeg a thaflu. Mae gan blant o’r oed yma egni i’w sbario ar gyfer gweithgaredd corfforol, felly gallant elwa o hyd at 1 ½ awr o ymarfer corff bob dydd. Un cynllun ymarfer da yw caniatáu 60 munud o weithgaredd anffurfiol iddynt, sef rhywbeth y maen nhw’n gallu ei gynnal ar eu pennau eu hunain, yn ogystal â 30 munud o amser ymarfer corff wedi’i strwythuro. Ymhlith yr ymarferion sy’n cael eu hargymell ar gyfer y grǒp oedran yma mae gemau traddodiadol fel tic a naid llyffant yn ogystal â gweithgareddau sy’n cynnwys teganau sy’n addas i blant o’r oed yma. Mae trip i’r parc, hyd yn oed, yn ffordd hawdd o gael awr o ymarfer corff gyda’ch plentyn.
Plant 4-5 oed Erbyn bod eich plentyn yn 4-5 oed byddant wedi datblygu digon ar eu sgiliau echddygol fel eu bod yn gallu rheoli’r pethau hanfodol. Yn y cyfnod yma maent yn gweithio ar wella rhagor ar eu cydbwysedd a chynyddu eu sgiliau corfforol. Er mai awr yw’r isafswm o weithgaredd corfforol y mae ei angen yn y grǒp oedran yma, mae hyd at 2 awr o ymarfer corff yn llesol. Dylid rhannu’r ymarfer corff rhwng awr o weithgaredd wedi’i strwythuro y byddwch chi’n ei gynllunio ac awr o weithgaredd anffurfiol y bydd y plentyn yn gallu penderfynu arno. Ar yr oedran yma dylech ganolbwyntio ar weithgareddau sy’n helpu i’r plant weithio ar eu cydbwysedd a’r cydsymud rhwng llaw a llygad, fel dal pêl neu gymnasteg. Gan ddibynnu ar allu corfforol eich plentyn, a pha mor gyfforddus mae’n teimlo, mae ymarferion mwy cymhleth fel dysgu nofio neu reidio beic yn bosibl hefyd. O 4-5 oed bydd eich plentyn hefyd yn gallu dechrau cymryd rhan mewn gweithgareddau chwaraeon ar raddfa fach. Ond dylech geisio cyfyngu ar nifer y bobl sy’n cymryd rhan a chanolbwyntio ar agweddau sylfaenol y gêm.
Plant 6-12 oed Yn ystod yr oed o 6-12 mae’n bwysig dechrau gosod y seiliau o ddifri ar gyfer arferion ymarfer corff iach. Dyma’r adeg pan fydd plant yn gallu dechrau cymryd rhan o ddifri yn y penderfyniadau y maen nhw’n eu gwneud am ymarfer corff. Dyma hefyd pryd y bydd llawer o blant yn dechrau cymryd rhan mewn timau chwaraeon sydd wedi’u trefnu. O 6-12 mlwydd oed, 60 munud o ymarfer corff yw’r isafswm sy’n ofynnol. Dyma pryd y gallwch helpu eich plentyn i ddatblygu trefn ffitrwydd gyda chwaraeon tîm sy’n cwrdd ychydig weithiau’r wythnos yn ogystal â gweithgareddau y gallant eu gwneud yn rheolaidd gartref. Gallwch hefyd eu cofrestru mewn gweithgareddau fel dosbarth ioga, dringo neu hyd yn oed gampfa i blant.
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Rydyn ni gyd yn gwybod ei bod hi’n bwysig ymarfer yn rheolaidd oherwydd yr holl fanteision corfforol a meddyliol. Yn y llyfryn yma byddaf yn ceisio eich helpu i ddeall pam mae hyn yn bwysig i blant, a byddaf yn rhoi syniadau syml i awgrymu sut y gall plant wneud mwy o ymarfer corff. Mae Fit 4 Fun yn cefnogi Newid am Oes. Er mwyn cadw pwysau iach mae angen inni fwyta’n well a symud mwy. Mae llawer o deuluoedd yn gwneud newidadau a fydd yn eu helpu i fyw bywydau iachach ac hirach. Ewch i www.cymru.gov.uk/newidamoes am fwy o wybodaeth.
Pam mae angen ymarfer corff ar blant? Mae plant heini yn blant hapus—maen nhw wrth eu boddau yn rhedeg o amgylch y lle yn cael hwyl! Mae gweithgaredd hefyd yn codi curiad calon plant ac yn helpu i bwmpio’r gwaed o amgylch eu cyrff. Mae’n ymarfer gwych i’r ysgyfaint a’r cyhyrau! Mae hefyd yn lleihau eu siawns o gael clefydau a fyddai’n peryglu eu bywydau. Rydyn ni gyd yn cysgu’n well hefyd ar ôl cael dos dda o awyr iach ac ymarfer corff. Felly bydd blino’r plant gyda gweithgaredd bob dydd yn helpu iddynt fynd i gysgu ar amser call fel eu bod yn deffro’n fywiog eto y diwrnod wedyn.
Faint o ymarfer corff ddylai plentyn ei gael? Dylai plant gael tua 60 munud o weithgaredd corfforol bob dydd. Bydd hyn yn eu helpu i gael gwared ar galorïau ac yn eu rhwystro rhag storio gormod o fraster yn y corff, sy’n gallu arwain at ganser, diabetes math 2 a chlefyd y galon. Mae hefyd yn cadw eu hesgyrn yn iach ac yn annog eu cyhyrau i fod yn gryf ac yn hyblyg. Dyw’r gweithgaredd ei hun ddim mor bwysig â hynny, cyhyd â’i fod yn golygu bod calonnau’r plant yn curo’n gyflym. Felly gall fod yn chwarae gemau, chwaraeon, neu’n grwydro o un lle i’r llall!
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Ymarfer Corff i Blant gyda Fabian
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