1. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Children and Adolescents
The Role of Families in Promoting Youth Physical Activity
NARRATIVE:
Today I am going to introduce you to the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Children and Adolescents and discuss how families, in partnership with schools and communities, can help promote youth physical activity.
NOTE TO FACILITATOR:
Insert your name, school district, the name of your organization or group you represent, and the date of presentation in the text box. You can also remove this text box.
Your Name
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Date of Presentation

2. Presentation Objectives
Identify the benefits of regular physical activity among youth
Describe the key physical activity guidelines for children and adolescents
Describe the role of communities in promoting physical activity among children and adolescents
NARRATIVE:
By the end of this presentation you will be able to
Identify the benefits of regular physical activity among youth.
Describe the key physical activity guidelines for children and adolescents.
Describe the role of families, in partnership with schools and communities, in promoting the physical activity among children and adolescents.

3. A Day in the Life of Colin: A 7-Year- Old Child
Walks to and from school
Jumps rope and does gymnastics in physical education class
Plays on the playground during recess
Does homework
Watches television
Plays soccer with family
Plays video games
NARRATIVE:
Before we start talking about the Physical Activity Guidelines, I want to introduce you to Colin.
Colin is a 7-year-old child.
He participates in many types of activities in many places.
The following activities describe a day in the life of Colin:
He walks to and from school almost every day.
During his physical education class, he jumps rope and does gymnastics and sit-ups.
During recess, he plays on the playground. These activities involve running and climbing.
After school, he watches his favorite television show, does homework and eats dinner
After dinner, he plays soccer with his family.
At night, he finishes homework plays video games.
Some of these activities are physical activities while others are sedentary activities.
In order to better understand how these activities are different from one another, let’s first talk about what physical activity is and why it is important for children and adolescents.
NOTE TO FACILITATOR:
You may change the child’s name and/or activities that are familiar and appropriate for your audience. Replace with similar level of physical activity.

4. How Does Physical Activity Help?
Promotes health and fitness
Builds healthy bones and muscles1
Reduces the risk of developing obesity and risk factors for diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease1
Reduces the symptoms of anxiety and depression1
Can positively affect concentration, memory, and classroom behavior2
1. HHS. Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Report;2008
2. J Pediatr 2005;146(6):732–7.
NARRATIVE:
Physical activity is a bodily movement that uses energy to contract muscles. (NOTE TO FACILITATOR: Provide a visual demonstration to the audience by moving your arms or legs.)
NARRATIVE, CONTINUED:
Physical activity can be structured, like playing on a basketball team, or unstructured, like playing tag outside or riding bikes. Physical activity can also be part of everyday activities such as taking the dog for a walk or sweeping the floor.
There are many health benefits associated with regular physical activity.
Physically active youth have higher levels of cardiovascular fitness compared with youth who are inactive.
Physical activity helps to build and maintain stronger bones and muscles.
Many of the risk factors for chronic diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes, begin to develop early in life.
Regular physical activity reduces the risk of developing these risk factors and of becoming obese.
Regular physical activity also reduces the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Research shows that physical activity among adolescents can positively affect their concentration, memory and classroom behavior.
Establishing regular physical activity early in life makes it more likely that children will remain healthy as adults.

5. How Much Physical Activity Do Youth Need?
Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes (1 hour) or more of physical activity daily.
Aerobic Activities: Most of the 60 or more minutes per day should be either moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. Include vigorous-intensity physical activity at least 3 days per week.
Muscle-strengthening Activities: Include muscle-strengthening physical activity on at least 3 days of the week, as part of the 60 or more minutes.
Bone-strengthening Activities: Include bone-strengthening physical activity on at least 3 days of the week, as part of the 60 or more minutes.
Activities should be age-appropriate, enjoyable, and offer variety.
NARRATIVE:
In 2008, the federal government published the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans to provide information and guidance to policymakers, health professionals, and members of the public on the types and amounts of physical activity that provide substantial health benefits.
These are the first physical activity guidelines ever to be published by the federal government.
The guidelines are science-based recommendations for persons aged 6 and older, including children and adolescents aged 6–17.
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Children and Adolescents state that
Children and adolescents should do 1 hour (60 minutes) or more of physical activity per day.
The guidelines state that the physical activity should at least be of moderate-intensity, and include vigorous-intensity activities at least 3 days per week.
Muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activities should each be included at least 3 days a week, as part of the 60 minutes of daily physical activity.
Each of these types of physical activity offer important health benefits.
At first glance, these guidelines might appear complicated. However, keep in mind the following two key points:
Vigorous, muscle-strengthening, and bone-strengthening activities should be part of the 60 minutes of daily physical activity
2) Many physical activities combine vigorous activity, muscle-strengthening, and bone-strengthening. For example, jumping rope is both vigorous and bone-strengthening.
The guidelines also emphasize the importance of participating in a variety of activities that are age-appropriate and enjoyable.

6. What Does This Really Mean?
At least 60 minutes every day
Mostly aerobic activities
Add variety and fun
NARRATIVE:
What does all of this actually mean?
The key points to remember are that children and adolescents should do
At least 60 minutes of physical activity every day; and
Most of the 60 minutes should be spent doing aerobic activities.
It is very important that children and adolescents participate in a variety of activities, especially activities that they enjoy.
This enhances skill development, reduces the risk of overuse injuries and increases the likelihood of continuing to be active as they get older.
It is also important to know that the Guidelines take into consideration the natural activity patterns of children.
Children often move between short bursts of activity and short periods of rest.
All episodes of moderate- or vigorous-intensity activities count towards the daily requirement.
Unstructured active play can provide all 3 types of physical activity.

7. What are Aerobic Activities?
Activities that keep your body moving enough to increase your heart rate and make you breathe harder
There are two intensities of aerobic activity:
Moderate-intensity
Vigorous-intensity
NARRATIVE:
Now let’s talk about each of the three types of physical activity outlined in the guidelines.
The first is aerobic activity.
Aerobic activities keep your body moving enough to increase your heart rate and make you breathe harder.
There are two intensities of aerobic activity.
moderate-intensity
vigorous-intensity
Examples of aerobic activities include running, hopping, skipping, jumping rope, swimming, dancing and bicycling.
The intensity levels of these activities can be either moderate or vigorous depending on factors such as speed and level of effort.

8. Is My Child's Aerobic Activity Moderate or Vigorous?
Moderate-intensity Activity
Heart will beat faster than normal and breathing will be harder than normal
On a scale of 0 to 10, moderate-intensity activity is a 5 or 6
Vigorous-intensity Activity
Heart will beat much faster than normal and breathing will be much harder than normal
On a scale of 0 to 10, a vigorous-intensity activity is 7 or 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
NARRATIVE:
Children and adolescents can meet the guidelines by doing a combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activities.
However, youth should not only do moderate-intensity activity. It is important to include vigorous-intensity activities because they can help to improve cardiorespiratory fitness.
What is the difference between moderate- and vigorous-intensity activities?
It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish between moderate- and vigorous-intensity activities.
As a rule of thumb, on a scale of 0 to 10, where sitting is a 0 and the highest level of effort possible is 10, moderate-intensity activity is a 5 or 6. Young people doing moderate-intensity physical activity will notice their heart beating faster than normal and breathing will be harder than normal.
Vigorous-intensity activity is a 7 or 8 out of 10. Young people doing vigorous-intensity activity will notice their heart beating much faster than normal and breathing will be much harder than normal.
The same activities, such as bike riding or walking, could be a moderate- or vigrous-intensity activity, depending upon the amount of energy the person is exerting. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

9. What are Muscle-Strengthening Activities?
Activities that make muscles do more work than usual activities of daily life
Activities that can be part of unstructured play
Climbing trees
Playing tug-of-war
Activities that can be structured
Push-ups, pull-ups
Working with resistance bands
Lifting weights
NARRATIVE:
The second type of physical activity outlined in the physical activity guidelines for children and adolescents is muscle-strengthening activity.
Muscle-strengthening activities make muscles do more work than the usual activities of daily life.
Children can increase their muscle strength through unstructured activities that involve lifting or moving their own body weight.
Examples of muscle-strengthening activities from unstructured play include playing on playground equipment, climbing trees and playing tug-of-war.
Muscle-strengthening activities also can be structured activities such push-ups and pull-ups, working with resistance bands or lifting weights.
Let’s look at some other examples of muscle-strengthening activities that are appropriate for children and adolescents.

10. Types of Muscle-Strengthening Activities
Type of Physical Activity
Age Group
Children
Adolescents
Muscle-strengthening
Games such as tug-of-war
Modified push-ups (with knees on the floor)
Resistance exercises using body weight or resistance bands
Rope or tree climbing
Sit-ups (curl-ups or crunches)
Swinging on playground equipment/bars
Push-ups and pull-ups
Resistance exercises with exercise bands, weight machines, hand-held weights
Climbing wall
NARRATIVE:
This chart shows examples of muscle-strengthening activities for children and adolescents.
It is important to point out that some activities meet the criteria for more than one type of physical activity.
Two examples are gymnastics and rowing.
Both activities can be moderate- or vigorous-aerobic activity, depending on the level of exertions, and both activities are also muscle-strengthening.
These physical activities allow young people to maximize the health benefits gained from both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities at once.

11. What Are Bone-Strengthening Activities?
Activities that produce a force on the bones that promotes bone growth and strength, such as jumping
Activities that are especially important for young people because the greatest gain in bone mass occur during the years just before and during puberty
NARRATIVE:
The third type of activity outlined in the guidelines for children and adolescents is bone-strengthening activity.
Bone-strengthening activities produce a force on the bones that promotes bone growth and strength. This force is usually produced by an impact with the ground.
These activities are especially important for youth because the greatest gains in bone mass occur during the years just before and during puberty, and the majority of peak bone mass is obtained by the end of adolescence.
Let’s look at some examples of bone-strengthening activities for children and adolescents.

12. Types of Bone-strengthening Activities
Type of
Physical Activity
Age Group
Children
Adolescents
Bone-strengthening
Games such as hopscotch
Hopping, skipping, jumping
Jumping rope
Running
Sports such as gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, tennis
NARRATIVE:
This chart provides examples of bone-strengthening activities that are appropriate for children and adolescents.
As you can see, some of these activities are also aerobic and muscle-strengthening. For example, running can be a vigorous aerobic activity as well as a bone-strengthening activity.

13. What Are Age-Appropriate Activities?
Activities that are safe and good for a child’s or adolescent’s growth and development.
Children often move between short bursts of activity and short periods of rest. Adolescents do more structured activities, such as individual or team sports, fitness classes, or planned walks.
Younger children strengthen their muscles through active play like gymnastics, playing on a jungle gym, or climbing a tree. Adolescents may start a structured weightlifting program.
NARRATIVE:
Age-appropriate activities are safe and good for a child’s or adolescent’s growth and development.
For example: children often move between short bursts of activity and short periods of rest. Adolescents do more structured activities, such as individual or team sports, fitness classes, or planned walks.
Younger children strengthen their muscles through active play like gymnastics, playing on a jungle gym or climbing a tree. Adolescents may start a structured weight lifting program.

14. Meeting the Guidelines
Getting and Staying Active
NARRATIVE:
I am now going to share some of the current data describing physical activity levels among children and adolescents, and show examples of youth who meet the guidelines.

15. How Physically Active Are High School Students?
NARRATIVE:
CDC conducts a national survey that monitors health-risk behaviors among youth enrolled in public and private schools in grades 9-12.
Data from the 2007 survey shows that among high school students, 11% of females and 24% of males said that they were physically active at least 60 minutes per day.
With such a low proportion of high school students meeting the physical activity guidelines, it is clear that there is a need to help youth get and stay active.
NOTE TO FACILITATOR:
Customize this slide by adding results from your local or state YRBS (Youth Risk Behvaior Survey). Go to for more information.
* Were physically active doing any kind of physical activity that increased their heart rate and made them breathe hard some of the time for a total of at least 60 minutes/day during the 7 days before the survey.
Source: National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2007.

16. How Much Do 9- to 13- Year-Olds Participate in Physical Activity?
Race/Ethnicity
Organized Activity
Free-Time Activity
Black, non-Hispanic
24%
75%
Hispanic
26%
White, non-Hispanic
47%
79%
Total
39%
77%
NARRATIVE:
National data on physical activity among younger age groups are presented in this table.
Among 9-13 year olds, only 39% said they participated in organized physical activity.
This finding indicates a great opportunity to identify ways to provide more organized activity for youth.
NOTE TO FACILIATOR:
Organized physical activity was considered participation in at least 1 organized activity during the last 7 days; free-time physical activity was 4 or more sessions in the last week.
Source: MMWR 2003;52(33):785–8.

17. Meeting the Guidelines
Youth Who Don’t Meet the Guidelines
Slowly increase activity in small steps
Participate in enjoyable activities
Youth Who Meet the Guidelines
Continue being active on a daily basis
Work toward becoming more active
Youth Who Exceed the Guidelines
Maintain activity level
Vary the kinds of activities to reduce the risk of injury
NARRATIVE:
As we have seen, youth vary in their physical activity participation.
Youth who do not currently meet the guidelines should slowly increase their activity in small steps by gradually increasing the number of days and the amount of time spent being active.
It is also important for youth to engage in activities that are enjoyable.
Both of these recommendations will help to decrease the risk of injury and increase the likelihood of participating in lifelong physical activity.
Youth who exceed the guidelines should maintain their activity level and vary the kinds of activities that they do in order to reduce the risk of an overuse injury.
Youth who meet the guidelines should continue being active on a daily basis and work towards becoming more active.
Evidence suggests that more than 60 minutes of physical activity every day may provide additional health benefits.

18. A Day in the Life of Colin
Walks to and from school (20 minutes)
Jumps rope and does gymnastics in physical education class (10 minutes each)
Plays on the playground during recess (10 minutes)
Does homework (20 minutes)
Watches television (30 minutes)
Plays soccer with family (20 minutes)
Plays video games (30 minutes)
NARRATIVE:
Let’s now revisit Colin, the 7-year-old child.
He walks to and from school, which takes a total of 20 minutes.
He jumps rope for 10 minutes and he does gymnastics for another 10 minutes.
He plays on the playground during recess for 10 minutes.
He actively plays with his family for 20 minutes.
In total, Colin is active for 60 minutes and does all three types of physical activity.
Walking to school is moderate-intensity aerobic activity.
Jumping rope is both vigorous-intensity aerobic activity and bone-strengthening.
Gymnastics is bone-strengthening and muscle-strengthening.
Colin also watches television for 30 minutes and plays video games for 30 minutes for a total or 1 hour of ‘screen time’. This meets the recommendation for children, which is less than 2 hours per day of screen time.
This example illustrates how a child can meet and even exceed the guidelines doing multiple activities throughout the day. It also demonstrates how some activities can meet the criteria for more than one type of activity.
NOTE TO FACILITATOR:
If you changed the child’s name in slide #3, enter that name on these slides, or create your own “Day in the Life of . . .” slides.
Total physical activity time = 60 minutes
Vigorous-intensity aerobic activity: jumping rope
Bone-strengthening activities: jumping rope, gymnastics
Muscle-strengthening activities: gymnastics

19. Colin’s Weekly Physical Activities
Monday
Walks to and from school
20 minutes
Plays on playground
10 minutes
Jumps rope
Does gymnastics
Plays soccer with family
Tuesday
25 minutes
Climbs on playground equipment
15 minutes
Wednesday
Plays actively with friends
Runs
5 minutes
Does sit ups
2 minutes
NARRATIVE:
Here is a record of Colin’s activities for one week.
As you can see, his activities vary from day to day.
NOTE TO FACILITATOR:
If you changed the child’s name in slide #3, enter that name on these slides, or create your own “Day in the Life of . . .” slides.

20. Colin’s Weekly Activities, cont.
Thursday
Plays actively with family
30 minutes
Plays soccer
Friday
Walks to and from school
20 minutes
Plays actively with friends
25 minutes
Bicycles
15 minutes
Saturday
Plays on playground
Climbs on playground equipment
Sunday
10 minutes
40 minutes
Plays tag with family
NARRATIVE:
Overall, Colin is meeting the guidelines by engaging in at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day and by doing vigorous-intensity aerobic activities, bone-strengthening activities, and muscle-strengthening activities on at least three days of the week.
He does vigorous-intensity aerobic activities six times during the week: jumping rope on Monday and Wednesday, running on Wednesday, playing soccer on Thursday and Sunday, and playing tag on Sunday.
Colin does bone-strengthening activities six times during week: jumping rope on Monday and Wednesday, running on Wednesday, soccer on Thursday and Sunday, and playing tag on Sunday.
He also does muscle-strengthening activities four times during the week: gymnastics on Monday, climbing on playground equipment on Tuesday and Saturday, and sit-ups on Wednesday.
Now let’s look at another example.
NOTE TO FACILITATOR:
If you changed the child’s name in slide #3, enter that name on these slides, or create your own “Day in the Life of . . .” slides.

21. Maria: A 16-Year-Old Adolescent
Maria participates in many types of physical activities in many places
She plays tennis and does sit-ups and push-ups during physical education class
She likes to play basketball at the YMCA, do yoga, and go dancing with her friends
She likes to walk and hike with her dog
NARRATIVE:
Maria is a 16-year-old adolescent. Her activity patterns are different than Colin’s.
During her physical education class, she plays tennis and does sit-ups and push-ups.
She likes to play basketball at the YMCA, do yoga, and go dancing with her friends.
She also likes to walk and go hiking with her dog.
NOTE TO FACILITATOR:
You may change the child’s name and/or activities (replace with similar level of physical activity) that are familiar and appropriate for your audience, or create your own “Day in the Life of . . .” slides.

22. A Day in the Life of Maria
Walks dog (10 minutes)
Plays tennis (30 minutes)
Does sit-ups and push-ups (5 minutes)
Plays with children at the park while babysitting (15 minutes)
Total physical activity time = 60 minutes
Vigorous-intensity aerobic activity: tennis
Bone-strengthening activity: tennis
Muscle-strengthening activity: sit-ups and push-ups
NARRATIVE:
The following activities describe a typical day for Maria.
She walks her dog for 10 minutes.
In her physical education class, Maria plays tennis for 30 minutes and does sit-ups and push-ups for 5 minutes.
After school, she plays with children at the park while babysitting for 15 minutes.
Maria has accumulated 60 minutes of physical activity for the day.
She has done moderate-intensity aerobic activity, vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, bone strengthening activity and muscle-strengthening activity.
Although Colin and Maria engage in different types of activities, they both meet the guidelines.
NOTE TO FACILITATOR:
You may change the child’s name and/or activities (replace with similar level of physical activity) that are familiar and appropriate for your audience, or create your own “Day in the Life of . . .” slides.

23. Barriers to Meeting the Guidelines
Personal
Attitude
Belief in ability to be physically active
Social
Influence of their peers
Parental support
Environmental
Safe locations to be active
Access to equipment
Financial costs of physical activities
Time
NARRATIVE:
There are many barriers that make it difficult for young people to meet the physical activity guidelines.
Young people may not believe that physical activity is important for a healthy lifestyle or feel that they have the ability to perform a physical activity.
Lack of support from family and friends also can prevent youth from meeting the guidelines.
Environmental factors that make it difficult to participate in physical activity include low availability of safe locations to be active and physical activity equipment, costs of physical activities, and time constraints.

24. YOUTH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
NARRATIVE:
Despite the many barriers that prevent children and adolescents from being active, there are multiple opportunities for promoting youth physical activity.
Each of the sectors in this diagram plays an important role helping young people engage in physical activity.
Today, we are going to focus on the role of families promoting physical activity, in partnership with schools and communities.
YOUTH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

25. Youth Physical Activity
The Role of Families
NARRATIVE:
Families play an important role in providing age-appropriate opportunities for physical activity.
In doing so, they help lay the foundation for lifelong, health-promoting physical activity.

26. Set a Positive Example Lead an active lifestyle yourself
Make family time an opportunity for physical activity
Take a walk together after dinner
Do housework or yard work together
Walk the dog together
Make use of low- or no-cost resources
Public parks
Community fields and courts
Recreation areas
Replace inactivity with activity whenever possible
Example: walk or bike to school instead of riding in a car
NARRATIVE:
Adults can set a positive example for their families by leading an active lifestyle themselves.
Parents and other adults can help incorporate physical activity into their family’s daily routine.
Ideas include
Taking a walk together after dinner.
Doing housework or yard work together.
Walking the dog together.
Families also can utilize local low- or no-cost facilities such as public parks, community fields and courts, and other recreation areas.
In general, replacing inactivity with activity whenever possible helps to increase physical activity.
For example, walk or bike to school instead of riding in a car.

27. Limit “Screen Time”
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends less than 2 hours of media time per day
Television
Computer
Movies and DVDs
Video games
Turn off the television during mealtimes
Turn commercial breaks into activity breaks
Do not use “screen time” as a reward or punishment
NARRATIVE:
Families and other caregivers can help youth balance “screen time”, which is time spent watching TV, using the computer, watching movies and DVDs, and playing video games.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting children’s media time to 2 hours a day.
Other suggestions for reducing “screen time” include:
Turning off the television during mealtime.
Turning commercial breaks into activity breaks.
For examples, do jumping jacks, push-ups, crunches, or run in place during commercial breaks.
Avoid using ‘screen time’ as a reward or punishment for your child.

28. Encourage Physical Activity
Expose children to a variety of physical activities
Be positive about the physical activities in which your child decides to participate
Encourage children to talk about their experience with physical activity
Help your child get to and from practices and events
Give your child toys that promote physical activity
NARRATIVE:
Parents can support their children being physically active by exposing them to a variety of activities, including recreation, team sports, and individual sports.
This helps children to find activities that they enjoy and sets the foundation for lifelong physical activity.
Parents should be positive about the physical activities in which their child decides to participate.
Parents can encourage children to talk about how physical activity makes them feel and the fun they have when they are active.
Parents can help their children be physically active by taking them to and from practice and events, or helping them find other ways to get there.
Parents can give their children toys that promote physical activity such as balls, kites, and jump ropes.

29. Encourage Children to Be Active With Friends
Play outside instead of watching television or playing video games
Make special events physical activity events
Activity-based birthday parties
Other group functions
Encourage your child to join a team or try a new physical activity with a friend
NARRATIVE:
Parents and other family members also should encourage children to be active with their friends.
Rather than watching television or playing video games, encourage kids to play outside games like tag, basketball or ride bicycles.
Birthday parties and other group functions can also be an opportunity to be active with friends. For example, organize a birthday party at a local park where youth can use playground equipment and open athletic fields.

30. Partner With Your Child’s School
Learn about what physical activities are offered at your child’s school
Talk to the principal or write a letter to the district superintendent if you think that there should be more physical education at your child’s school
Encourage the school to implement a comprehensive physical activity program
NARRATIVE:
Parents and other family members can help promote physical activity at school by
Learning about what physical activities are offered at your child’s school.
Talking to the principal or writing a letter to the district superintendent if you think that there should be more physical education at your child’s school.
Encouraging the school to implement a comprehensive physical activity program, which includes daily physical education class and a daily recess period.
NOTE TO FACILITATOR:
You may add programs and activities offered by your school or district for families to partner with their child’s school.

31. Partner With Your Child’s School
Become a member of the school health advisory board
Help organize special events like walk-a-thons, dance-a-thons or bike-a-thons
Volunteer to help with afterschool sports teams
NARRATIVE:
Other ways for families to promote physical activity at school include
Becoming a member of the school health advisory board.
Helping organize special events such as walk-a-thons, dance-a-thons, or bike-a-thons.
Volunteering to help with after-school sports teams.

32. Participate in School-based Physical Activity
Family homework assignments
Activity newsletters
Family activity nights
Field days
Walk-to-School Week
NARRATIVE:
Some schools offer opportunities for family participation in physical activity such as family homework assignments, activity newsletters, and family activity nights and field days.
For example, schools can allow the public to utilize their athletic fields, playgrounds, and fitness facilities, after school hours and on weekends. Community organizations can provide physical activity programs to students, families, school staff, and community members using school facilities.
Schools may also participate in International Walk To School Week in October or other walk and bike to school programs.
Walking and biking to schools offers several important benefits.
Young people who use active transportation have higher levels of physical activity and are more likely to meet physical activity recommendations.
Parents of younger children can also accumulate physical activity minutes by walking to school with their children.
Additional benefits of walking or biking to schools are a reduction in the number of cars and traffic near schools and promoting partnerships among students, parents, and community organizations and members.
Even if the school does not have a formal walk or bike to school program, parents can work together to start a walking school bus, which is a group of children walking to school together with one or more adults.
A walking school bus can be as informal as two families taking turns walking their children to school, or more formal such as having a specific meeting point, schedule of volunteers to lead the walk, and timetable for “picking-up” students along the route.
A variation on the walking school bus is a bicycle train, which is a group of children and adult leaders ride together to school.
The Safe Routes to School program has developed a guide to help adults start a walking school bus or bicycle train in their community.
CDC has developed a tool called the KidsWalk Guide, which helps communities develop and implement walk and bicycle to school programs.
The guide provides users with a step-by-step checklist, implementation tools, safety tips, and ideas to make walking to school an active and exciting part of a child's day.

33. YOUTH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
NARRATIVE:
Each of the sectors shown on this diagram has a role in promoting physical activity among children and adolescents.
No one sector can solely promote and improve youth physical activity.
Collaboration across sectors will likely have the most effective impact, through consistent messaging and multiple opportunities to engage youth in physical activity.
Families play a key role in promoting physical activity for youth.
YOUTH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

34. Information in this presentation is provided by
Thank you!
Questions?
Be Active and Play, 60 minutes, every day!
Information in this presentation is provided by
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Division of Adolescent and School Health
NARRATIVE:
Are there any questions?
NOTE TO FACILITATOR:
After answering participant questions, distribute one copy of the Youth Physical Activity, The Role of Families fact sheet to each participant.
Introduce and conduct the optional final activities.
Thank participants for attending and ask participants to complete and submit the feedback form for The Physical Activity Guidelines for Children and Adolescents presentation.