Can walking help my child keep fit?

Yes. Any activity that gets children more active can only be a good thing. As children are naturally active and full of energy, getting them outside to get fit isn't usually difficult. However, with more children opting to play on their computer games or watch TV, some children might not be getting the exercise they need.

Recent studies have shown that sedentary (inactive) parents tend to have sedentary children, whereas active parents have active children. So the message seems pretty clear - set a good example and keep fit as a family.

How much?

It's recommended that children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day. This can be broken up into more bearable chunks, for example three lots of 20 minutes activities. Try to make sure their exercise of choice is of moderate intensity, which means your child should be slightly out of breath and slightly sweaty. This doesn't mean they are so out of breath that they can't talk.

Get walking

Even though there are a large variety of activities children can do to keep fit, walking it likely to be one of the easiest and cheapest of them all.

This could involve walking to school instead of being caught up in the car; walking to the park after school to get some fresh air; and walking to the playing fields to support your local football or rugby team; all contributing to your child's 60 minutes of exercise a day.

Walking is a low-impact and low-stress activity for anyone. Walking is particularly good for children because it helps them:

• develop a good posture,
• firm and tone their muscles,
• control their weight by burning off any stored up body fat,
• develop strong bone growth,
• reduce their risk of heart disease,
• be more physically and mentally alert, and
• feel more confidence and increases their self-esteem.

Safety comes first

Children should always be supervised when out walking, making sure to take extra care at road crossings. Make sure your child understands and follows the green cross code:

1. Think first - find a safe place to cross then stop.
2. Stop - stand on the pavement near the kerb.
3. Use your eyes and ears - look all around for traffic and listen.
4. Wait till it's safe to cross - if traffic is coming, let it pass.
5. Look and listen again - when there's no traffic near, walk straight across the road.
6. Arrive alive - keep looking and listening for traffic while you cross.

Lastly, it's important that your child never walks alone, or goes walking at night.