Physical Activity, Sedentary Time and Sleep

Before you get in the car, think about walking or wheeling instead!

If you can’t make the whole trip by active travel, try to replace just part of the trip with walking or wheeling. For example, cycling or walking to the transit station or parking further away from your destination are both ways to contribute to your daily/weekly physical activity goals.

Active transportation is any human powered transport. This includes:

• walking
• cycling
• in-line skating
• cross-country skiing/snowshoeing
• skateboarding
• scootering
• non-mechanized wheel chairing

Replacing driving with active transport is good for your health. It also can help save money on gas and is environmentally friendly. Active travel counts as physical activity!

Learn more about active transportation from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Active school travel makes a difference

Children and youth who walk or bike to school are more physically active.

• It is recommended that children and youth accumulate at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity involving a variety of aerobic activities. Vigorous physical activities, and muscle and bone-strengthening activities, should each be incorporated at least 3 days per week. Walk with your children to school when possible.
• Encourage your teenagers to walk to and from school.
• Start a "Walking School Bus" with other families in your neighbourhood where trusted adults volunteer to walk a group of children to and from school.
• Talk to your child's school about current active travel initiatives (including International Walk to School Month (IWALK), and Bike to School Week).
• Learn more about active transportation from Ontario Active School Travel.

Check out this resource with ideas to help get your family walking or wheeling to school!

Tips for staying motivated

• Use active transportation with friends and family.
• Try new routes to keep it interesting.
• Make a walking route at work.
• Walk during breaks or lunch with fellow co-workers.
• Set realistic and achievable goals.
• Set a weekly plan.
• If you have not been regularly active, start out with short walks (e.g. 10 minutes).

Tips for safety

• Carry identification.
• Carry a cell phone.
• Bring water if going on a long distance.
• Wear comfortable shoes.
• Wear bright, reflective clothing especially if walking at night.
• Dress for the weather conditions.
• Walk in areas where you feel safe.
• Cross streets at traffic lights, stop signs or crosswalks.
• If walking where there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic.
• Avoid using headphones (or only wear in one ear and keep volume low).
• Avoid using cellphones or texting.
• Tell someone where you are going and when you plan to return.
• Walk in daylight or in well-lit areas.
• Stop walking if you feel any pain.
• Check the air quality health index and UV index before you start your walk.
• Be sun safe.

In Durham Region

• Explore information about cycling and walking.
• Durham Region has terrain for mountain bikers of all skill levels.
• Learn more about transportation and transit.

There are several benefits of getting active:

• Feel better about yourself.
• Pay attention better.
• Feel motivated.
• Improves your memory.
• Have a healthy weight.
• Gives you more energy.
• Sleep better.
• Relieve stress.
• Makes bones and muscles stronger.
• Helps fight off colds and other illnesses.
• Improves learning.
• Helps older adults have better balance and prevent falls.

Physical activity lowers your risk of:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Stroke
• Heart disease
• Depression
• Breast and colon cancer
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Osteoporosis

Start by doing what you can and then look for ways to do more!

Make a plan - it's as easy as 1, 2, 3

1. Write down your goal.
Set a goal that suits your life and activities you enjoy. A goal might be to:

• Be active together as a family three times a week.
• Go for a family walk every evening after dinner.
• Go for a family bike ride twice a week.

2. Make a plan.

• Decide when, where and what you will do.
• Write it on a calendar where everyone can see it.

3. Keep track of your family's activities.

• Tracking helps you keep at it.
• When you reach your goal, celebrate your success.

Tips to stay motivated

• Set a family goal and be active together.
• Look for new activities.
• Keep track of your family's activity.
• Celebrate your successes.
• Set goals that are achievable.
• Do your best to stick with it because it can take two weeks to two months to form a new routine.
• Use an app to keep you on track and organized. If you do a search you will find lots of options from helping you to goal set, tracking your activities, to helping you make a plan.

Tips to help keep your energy up

• Be active for short periods of time (e.g. 10-minute activities).
• Have a healthy snack before your activity.
• Drink water before, during and after being active.
• Eat healthy.

Tips to help you find time for physical activity

Look for ways to add activity into your day:

• Park in the far corner of the parking lot.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• When watching your children play sports, such as hockey or soccer, look for ways you can move too such as walking around while watching.
• Walk on work breaks, after work, before or after dinner.
• Walk or cycle for short trips to the store, to get mail, to work/school or to visit friends.
• Walk over to talk to your co-worker, friend, or neighbour instead of sending an email.
• If you take a bus, get off a stop early and walk the rest of the way.

Sitting for long periods of time increases your health risk even if you are physically active. Youth and adults should stand when they can--at least every 30 minutes. For young children, it is also important to limit their time spent sitting (in car seats or strollers) to less than one hour at a time. Sedentary time is any time spent with very little movement. It usually involves sitting, and can include:

• Reading
• Computer time
• Watching television
• Commuting
• Workplace desk jobs

How does sitting affect my health?

After you eat, sugars and fats get in your blood. Muscles use the sugars and fats as energy. When sitting, muscles use very little energy. The longer you sit, the faster fats and sugars build up in your blood. This strains your body. Having too much fat and sugar in the blood can:

• Lower good (HDL) cholesterol.
• Puts stress on the pancreas.
• Creates insulin resistance.

Over time this may lead to obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, some cancers, mental health problems and early death.

Screen time

Screen time is time spent on digital screens. This includes televisions, computers, smartphones or tablets.

Why is screen time harmful? Screen time is harmful for two reasons:

1. People sit for long periods of time with very little movement when using screens.
2. Screens can affect young children's development. This is because their brains need feedback and responses. Screens can be informative, but they do not react based on a child's response. If a child finds something funny and laughs, there is no feedback or response from the screen to confirm if laughing was appropriate or not.

Tips for parents to reduce screen time with kids

• Infants can be active through interactive, floor-based play with a caregiver.
• Take children outdoors every day to play.
• Be a role model and enjoy being active with your children.
• Limit time spent sitting in the car and on the bus. On long car rides, plan stops for stretching and active playtime.
• Instead of driving, walk to school with family or friends.
• Keep TVs and computers out of bedrooms.
• Have rules and limits on time spent watching TV or playing video games.
• Instead of screen time in the evening, go for a family walk or bike ride.

Tips to help lower sedentary time

• Stand when you can such as while talking on the phone.
• Fold laundry or clean while watching TV.
• Stand up and stretch every 30 minutes.
• Replace leisure sitting time with going for a walk or being active.
• Plan regular breaks to stand and stretch during travel.
• Keep TVs and computers out of bedrooms.
• Have rules and limits on time spent watching TV or playing video games.
• Choose an app for your computer/phone/device that will notify you to take a break.

Create your family media plan! This tool will help your family to think about screen time and create goals and rules that work for your family.

Sleep

Sleeping does not count as sedentary time - it's important for your health. Refer to the chart below for more information.

Visit the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology website to learn more about the 24hr movement guidelines for all ages.

The Grade 5 Action Pass gives all grade 5 students in Durham Region free access to public swimming, public skating and some drop-in programs (programs vary by recreation facility).

Where can students use their Grade 5 Action Pass?

Download a list of recreation centres in Durham Region where you can use your pass. English | French

How can students get their Grade 5 Action Pass?

Download your Action Pass (English) Download your Action Pass (French)

Students need to bring:

• An adult.
• Proof of address.
• Proof of date of birth.
• A digital or printed copy of the Grade 5 Action Pass.
• Uxbridge needs a current photo of you. It must be one inch by 1.5 inches.

Students in the Township of Brock, contact recreation@brock.ca to obtain your pass.

Locations where you can get a pass

Town of Ajax

• Ajax Community Centre 905-427-8811
• McLean Community Centre 905-428-7711
• Audley Recreation Centre 905-427-2468

Township of Brock

Contact recreation@brock.ca to obtain your pass.

Municipality of Clarington

• Alan Strike Aquatic and Squash Centre 905-623-3379 ext. 2552
• Courtice Community Complex 905-623-3379 ext. 2552
• Diane Hamre Recreation Complex 905-623-3379 ext. 2552
• Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex 905-623-3379 ext. 2552
• South Courtice Arena 905-623-3379 ext. 2552

City of Pickering

The Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex 905-831-1711 or 905-683-6582

City of Oshawa

• Delpark Homes Centre 905-436-3311
• Donevan Recreation Complex 905-436-3311
• Oshawa Civic Recreation Centre 905-436-3311
• Oshawa Mary Street YMCA 905-438-9622
• South Oshawa Community Centre 905-436-3311

Township of Scugog

Scugog Community Recreation Centre 905-985-8698

Township of Uxbridge

Uxpool 905-852-7831 - remember to bring a current photo (one inch by 1.5 inches)

Town of Whitby

• Whitby Civic Recreation Complex 905-666-1991
• Brooklin Community Centre and Library 905-655-2010

Why grade 5 students?

• Only 39 per cent of children and youth in Canada met the recommendation of 60 minutes of heart-pumping daily physical activity as recommended in the guidelines.
• Levels of physical activity tend to drop for both boys and girls as they get older; after they pass grade 5.
• Increasing opportunities for kids to keep active in grade 5 can encourage them to remain physically active as they get older!

24hr movement guidelines for children and youth five to 17-years old

For optimal health benefits, the 24hr movement guidelines for children and youth five to 17-years recommend:

• Children accumulate 60 minutes of heart pumping activity per day.
• Children get several hours of a variety of structured and unstructured light physical activities per day.
• Children get nine to 11 hours of sleep per night for those five to 13-years old; eight to 10 hours per night for those 14 to 17-years old. Have consistent bed and wake up times.
• Children aim for no more than two hours per day of recreational screen time. Limited sitting for extended periods.

Visit the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology website for more information about the 24hr movement guidelines.

Tips for parents to help kids get active

• Encourage your child to walk or cycle to and from school.
• Allow your child to help choose activities.
• Plan family activities.
• Keep TVs out of kids' bedrooms.
• Try to spend more time outdoors after school because it lowers anxiety, anger, tiredness and sadness.
• Stop at the park after school every day.
• Encourage your child to try out for sports teams at school.
• When your child plays, encourage active games like skipping, hopscotch, or tag.
• On special occasions, give gifts that encourage activity like a soccer ball or skipping rope.
• Sign your child up for low cost or free recreation programs.
• Clean the house with some upbeat holiday music.
• Encourage both unstructured (bike riding, hiking, creative play) and structured play (sports, games)
• Role model healthy active behaviour because their eyes are always on you.

Physical literacy

Help your children develop physical literacy. This means having basic movement skills. When your child has these skills it helps them develop confidence in moving. They'll stay active through life.

Practice basic movement skills like:

• crawling
• hopping
• running
• throwing
• catching
• kicking a ball
• balancing
• swimming
• climbing
• skating
• dodging
• cycling
• jumping

Resources and links for physical literacy

Infographic and information about physical literacy from Active for Life

Benefits children get when they play outdoors

• Increased social skills.
• Lower risk of becoming overweight or obese later in life.
• Healthy development.
• Improved self-regulation of their emotions.
• Improved skills to deal with stress.
• Opportunities to build resiliency skills.
• Kids are more active when they are outside.

Resources

• Move and Play Every Day resource
• Outdoor play calendar
• ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children & Youth