Overview

Helping your child be more active is one of the best things you can do for their health. You may want to start by talking to your child about what is good about physical activity. For example, it can help children have more energy and feel good about themselves. It can also help them stay at a healthy weight. This can prevent many serious health problems later on.

It's okay to start a new exercise program slowly. It's also okay if your child isn't ready right now. Some children feel a little shy or scared to exercise or play team sports. Or their lives are too busy to add anything new. When you are ready, your doctor can help you find the right exercise program for your child.

How can you prepare to help your child be more active?

• If this isn't the right time, think about when your child might be able to start being more active.
• Think about what might be different for your child and your whole family if you made changes.
• Think about the things that may worry you or your child about making changes.
• Remember that you can decide how and when to make changes. And you can control how fast you make them. Small, slow changes often work better and last longer than big ones. And they are easier to keep doing. You can find a way that works for your family.