You asked

How much exercise is enough for my five to eight year old?

Ideally, your school age child should be getting at least one hour and up to several hours of moderate to vigorous exercise per day.
  • Moderate activities should get your child gently huffing and puffing and are about as intense as a brisk walk.
  • Vigorous activities will get your child huffing and puffing quite a bit. He should build up quite a sweat.
  • This kind of activity can be enjoyed in small blocks of time, about 5-15 minutes and ideally build up to around two hours over the day.
Physical activity is not necessarily ‘exercise’. Your child doesn’t have to play an organised sport or push-ups in order to benefit. Some simple activities can include:
  • Going for a walk or walking to and/ or from child care or school
  • Spending time at the playground
  • Playing in the garden or at the beach
  • Playing chase in the garden or the school yard.

More questions

Ideally, your school age child should be getting at least one hour and up to several hours of moderate to vigorous exercise per day.
The best way to encourage your child to be active is to be active yourself.
Some children don’t have the basic physical skills for some sports. Being unable to master a particular skill or activity can make a child feel like a failure. 
A lot of parents worry about how safe sports are but the benefits far outweigh any downsides.
There are lots of popular sports for children to choose from.

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