Close Alert Banner
Close Old Browser Notification
Browser Compatibility Notification
It appears you are trying to access this site using an outdated browser. As a result, parts of the site may not function properly for you. We recommend updating your browser to its most recent version at your earliest convenience.
Skip to Content
Region of Durham Logo
Contact Us
Engage
  • Living Here
    • 311 – Connecting you to our services
    • A to Z Services
    • Accessibility
    • Age-Friendly Durham
    • Animal Services and Control
    • Climate, Energy and Resilience
    • Conservation Authorities
    • Counselling
    • Crime Prevention and Public Safety
    • Early Learning and Child Care
    • Education and Schools
    • Emergency Preparedness
    • Emergency Services
    • Emergency Social Services
    • Food Banks
    • Housing and Homelessness
    • Libraries
    • Living with Low-Income
    • Long Term Care and Adult Day Programs
    • View More...
    View our Garbage and Recycling page

    Garbage and Recycling

    View our My Property page

    My Property

    View our Roads and Traffic page

    Roads and Traffic

  • Discovering Durham
    • About Durham Region
    • Arts and Culture
    • Bike Month
    • Cycling and Walking
    • E-mobility
    • Local Food and Farmers' Markets
    • Maps
    • New to Durham Region
    • Parks, Trails and Conservation Areas
    • Spectator Sports
    • Sport Tourism
    • Sports and Recreation
    • Tourism
    • Tourism Festival and Events Calendar
    • Transportation and Transit
    View our Tourism page

    Tourism

    View our Tourism Festival and Events calendar

    Tourism Festival and Events Calendar

    View our Transportation and Transit page

    Transportation and Transit

  • Doing Business
    • Applications, Licences and Permits
    • As-Built Drawing Request
    • Bid Opportunities
    • Business Directory
    • Business Count
    • Community Social Investment Framework
    • Construction and Your Business
    • Construction Liens
    • Design and Construction Specifications
    • Economic Development
    • Events
    • Garbage and Recycling Collection on Private Property
    • Housing
    • Municipal Consent
    • Operating a Child Care Centre
    • Planning and Development
    • Public Health Inspections for Businesses
    • Purchasing
    • Project Reports, Studies and Plans
    View our Agriculture page

    Agriculture

    View our Business Directory page

    Business Directory

    View our Purchasing page

    Purchasing

  • Health and Wellness
    • Alcohol, Cannabis, Drugs and Smoking
    • Babies and Toddlers
    • Child Health and School-Age Children
    • Clinics and Classes Calendar
    • COVID-19 Update
    • Domestic Violence
    • Dental and Oral Health
    • Environment and Your Health
    • Health Care Professionals
    • Health Check-Up, Performance Reports and Health Plans
    • Health Information Services
    • Healthy Living
    • Illness, Infection and Disease
    • Immunizations and Vaccines
    • Injury Prevention and Safety
    • Mental Health
    • MPOX
    • Pregnancy
    • Public Health Inspections and Investigations
    • View More...
    Launch the Durham Region COVID-19 Data Tracker

    COVID-19 Data Tracker

    View our Health Care Professionals page

    Health Care Professionals

    View our Report Immunizations Online page

    Report Immunizations Online

  • Regional Government
    • A to Z Services
    • Access to Information
    • Accountability and Transparency
    • Awards
    • Bill 23
    • Budget and Financial
    • By-Laws
    • Careers and Volunteering
    • CityStudio Durham
    • Community Engagement
    • Community Safety and Well-Being Plan
    • Contact Us
    • Court and Traffic Tickets (Provincial Offences)
    • COVID-19 Information and Resources
    • COVID-19 Recovery Framework and Action Plan
    • Departments
    • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
    • Durham Region 101
    • Durham Region Strategic Plan
    • View More...
    View our Council page

    Council

    View our Open Data page

    Open Data

    View our Regional Services map

    Regional Services

I'd Like To...

Apply or Register For

  • Applications, Licences and Permits
  • Bidding Opportunities
  • Careers and Volunteering
  • Freedom of Information Request
  • Housing

Learn About

  • A to Z Services
  • Being New to Durham Region
  • Budget
  • By-Laws
  • Council
  • Durham Region Transit
  • Public Health Inspections

Report an Issue

  • By-Law Infraction
  • Downed Sign
  • Health Protection Complaint
  • Illegal Dumping
  • Missed Garbage or Recycling Pickup
View our Twitter Page View our Facebook Page View our YouTube Page view our LinkedIn page

Parents and child walking.

Physical Activity

HomeHealth and WellnessHealthy LivingPhysical Activity
Decrease text size Default text size Increase text size
Print this page
Share this page
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Healthy Living
    • Healthy Aging
    • Healthy Communities
    • Healthy Eating
    • Healthy Routines
    • Food Poverty
    • Infection Prevention
    • Low Cost and Subsidized Recreation Programs
    • Physical Activity
  • Alcohol, Cannabis, Drugs and Smoking
    • Alcohol
    • Cannabis
    • Opioids and Overdose Prevention
      • Durham Opioid Response Plan
      • Durham Region Opioid Information System
    • Safe Needle Disposal
    • Tobacco and Vaping
  • Babies and Toddlers
    • Babies with Developmental Concerns
    • Baby's First Year
    • Breastfeeding and Newborn Care Online Classes and Videos
    • Bringing Baby Home
    • Car Seat Safety and Booster Seats
    • Crib Safety
    • Feeding Your Baby
    • Flat-head Syndrome
    • Infant Crying
    • Infant Sleep and Sleep Habits
    • Parenting Your Child and Positive Parenting
    • Perinatal Mood Disorders
    • Shaken Baby Syndrome
  • Child Health and School-Age Children
    • Bullying
    • Car Seat Safety and Booster Seats
    • Child Care and Early Learning
    • Child Development
    • Child Immunization and School Clinics
    • Picky Eaters
  • Clinics and Classes Calendar
  • COVID-19 Update
    • Case Status in Durham Region
    • COVID-19 Case and Contact Information Hub
    • COVID-19 Guidance and Advice for Businesses and Organizations
    • COVID-19 Testing
    • COVID-19 Vaccines
    • Facts and Frequently Asked Questions
    • Health Care Professionals
    • Institutional Outbreaks
    • Masks
    • Mental Health
    • Resources
    • Schools Reopening Toolkit
  • Domestic Violence
  • Dental and Oral Health
    • Brushing and Flossing
    • Fluoride
    • Oral Cancer
    • School Screening Dental Clinics
    • Snacking
  • Environment and Your Health
    • Air Quality
    • Extreme Cold
    • Extreme Heat and Humidity
    • Flooding
    • Harmful Plants
    • Nuclear Awareness
    • Private Wells
    • Sewage and Septic Systems
    • Sun Safety and Tanning
  • Health Care Professionals
  • Health Check-Up, Performance Reports and Health Plans
    • 2021 Health Check-Up!
    • 2020 Health Check-Up!
    • 2019 Health Check-Up!
    • 2022 Health Plan
    • 2021 Health Plan
    • 2020 Health Plan
    • 2019 Health Plan
  • Health Information Services
    • Durham Health Stats
    • Health Care
    • Health Neighbourhoods
    • Information Practices / Client Safety / Customer Service Standards
    • Outbreaks, Recalls, Advisories and Alerts
    • Public Access to Defibrillators
  • Illness, Infection and Disease
    • Facts About...
    • Food Poisoning
    • Infection Control in Institutions
    • Influenza (Flu)
    • Insects, Rodents and Bites
    • Legionella
    • Lyme Disease
    • Meningitis
    • MPOX
      • Information for Health Care Professionals
    • Rabies
    • Reportable Diseases
    • Tuberculosis (TB)
    • West Nile Virus
  • Immunizations and Vaccines
    • Adult Immunization
    • Child Immunization and School Clinics
    • Influenza (Flu)
    • Travel Health
    • Vaccine Safety
  • Injury Prevention and Safety
    • Bike Safety
    • Car Seat Safety and Booster Seats
    • Child Safety
    • Falls
    • Healthy Aging
    • Off-roading Safety
    • Playgrounds
    • Preventing Concussions
    • Road and Traffic Safety
  • Mental Health
    • Counselling
    • Perinatal Mood Disorders
    • Suicide Prevention
  • MPOX
  • Pregnancy
    • Alcohol in Pregnancy
    • Car Seat Safety and Booster Seats
    • Infections in Pregnancy
    • Online Prenatal Classes
    • Perinatal Mood Disorders
    • Planning for Pregnancy
    • Pregnancy Options
    • Preterm Labour and Birth
    • Substance Use in Pregnancy
  • Public Health Inspections and Investigations
    • Beaches
    • Check&GO! Durham
    • Food Safety
    • Food Safety Training
    • Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Lapse Reports
    • International Agricultural Worker Housing Inspections
    • Know Your Public Health Inspector
    • Operating a Child Care Centre
    • Playgrounds
    • Public Health Inspections for Businesses
    • Rabies
    • Recreational Water
    • Salons and Spas
    • Sewage and Septic Systems
    • Small Drinking Water Systems
    • Smoking, Vaping and Retailer Convictions
    • Submit a Complaint or Concern
    • Tattoos and Piercings
  • School Health
    • Educators
    • Parents
    • School-Based Public Health Clinics
    • Schools Reopening Toolkit
  • Sexual Health and Clinics
    • 2SLGBTQI+
    • Birth Control
    • Pregnancy Options
    • SEXed Manual for Educators
    • Sexual Health Decisions
    • Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

Regular physical activity is important for your health!

Order physical activity resources online


Canadian guidelines for physical activity to achieve health benefits.

Recommended activity levels by age group
Age groupRecommended activity
Adults (18 and older) Two and a half hours of moderate to vigorous physical activity every week.
Youth (five to 17 years old) Accumulate at least 60 minutes of heart pumping activity per day.
Toddlers (one to four years old) At least three hours of physical activity throughout the day.
Infants (less than one year old) Several times a day such as floor play.

Moderate to vigorous physical activity causes you to breathe a little harder. You may sweat a little. See the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology to learn about Physical Activity and Sedentary Guidelines.

Active transportation

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 school or work

It is recommended that adults achieve 150 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity per week. These numbers can be accumulated in increments of 10 minutes. Parking further from the door can 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
  • scooter
  • 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.

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).

Watch the 'Everybody Walk' video

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.
Benefits of physical activity

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
How to be more active

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.

Try the ParticipACTION app

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

Just 10 minutes at a time counts.

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 for 10 minutes or more 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.
Sedentary time (sitting) and screen time

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. 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

It's also important to limit time spent sitting or in car seats or strollers to less than one hour at a time.

You should also be mindful of screen time. Children under two years old should not have any screen time. Limit screen time to under an hour per day for children aged two to four, and two hours per day for youth five to 17 years old.

Sleeping does not count as sedentary time--it's important for your health. Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep every day.

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.

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

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.
Information for parents

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 14-17 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
  • Learning to play and playing to learn resource
  • Move and Play Every day resource
  • Outdoor play calendar
  • 2018 ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children & Youth

 

 

Receive email updates

Contact Us

Region of Durham logo

Living HereDiscovering DurhamDoing BusinessHealth and WellnessRegional Government

© 2023 Durham Region, 605 Rossland Road East, Whitby, Ontario L1N 6A3, Canada, Telephone (within regional limits): 311, Telephone: 905-668-7711, Toll-Free: 1-800-372-1102

HomeTerms of Use and Privacy StatementAccessibilityAccess to InformationCareersA to Z ServicesContact Us
By GHD Digital