We think of physical activity as a given in childhood, but organized sports and instruction have largely replaced much of the unstructured physical play of the past. It's pretty easy to get your child interested in physical activities at this age, though interest and participation do begin to drop off for some children.
It's worth the time and effort to involve your child in sports in middle childhood. Though most sports programs are competitive, responsible coaches and programs keep it fun for all the kids. If your child doesn't enjoy one sport, simply introduce her to something different. For most kids, this is a time of trying out new physical activities and, we hope, finding one or more to engage them in physical activity for a lifetime.
Strive for an hour of physical activity a day for your child. Most schools are increasing the intensity of physical activity during P.E. at school, but older children often don't get more than 20-30 minutes of P.E. at school. That means you need to add at least 30 minutes after school each day and a couple of hours on the weekend.
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