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Keeping Active and Physical
Staying active is important for physical and mental health as well as providing the best opportunity for learning. Please see below the national recommendations of activity for different age and ability children, as well as some ideas to help you get started!
More Information
Toddlers (1-2 years):
Toddlers should spend at least 180 minutes (3 hours) per day in a variety of physical activities at any intensity, including active and outdoor play, spread throughout the day; more is better. This could include,
• Soft play
• Swimming
• Playgrounds
• Forest walking
• Balance bikes / scooters
• Stay, play and learn session at local family hubs
Pre-schoolers (3-4 years):
Pre-schoolers should spend at least 180 minutes (3 hours) per day in a variety of physical activities spread throughout the day, including active and outdoor play. This could include,
• Soft play /gymnastic clubs
• Swimming
• Playgrounds
• Forest walking
• Balance bikes / scooters
• Stay, play and learn session at local family hubs
For further advice and activities in your local area, please see the family hub groups and activities timetables
Useful Links
Children and Young People (5 to 18 years)
- Children and young people should engage in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity for an average of at least 60 minutes per day across the week. This can include all forms of activity such as physical education, active travel, after-school activities, play and sports.
- Children and young people should engage in a variety of types and intensities of physical activity across the week to develop movement skills, muscular fitness, and bone strength.
The new guidelines recommend that if possible disabled children and young people:
- Undertake 120 to 180 minutes of aerobic physical activity per week at a moderate-to-vigorous intensity – this can be achieved in different ways (for example, 20 minutes per day or 40 minutes 3 times per week) through activities such as walking or cycling.
- Complete challenging, but manageable, strength and balance activities 3 times per week which are particularly beneficial for muscle strength and motor skills – for example, indoor wall climbing, yoga, and modified sports such as basketball or football.
- When first starting to exercise, build up slowly to avoid injury.
- Break down their exercise into bite-size chunks of physical activity throughout the day to make it more manageable.
Local Resources
- Colchester Leisure Centre: Home – Leisure World
- Tiptree Leisure Centre: Tiptree Teens Class – Leisure World
- Clacton Leisure Centre: Clacton Leisure Centre • Tendring District Council Leisure
- Walton-on-the-Naze Leisure Centre
- Dovercourt Leisure Centre: Dovercourt Bay Lifestyles • Tendring District Council Leisure
Local Disability Sports
- Ability using Sport | Essex Local Offer
- Search for support, groups and activities | Essex Local Offer (? Cost)
- Bag Books | Essex Local Offer (?cost)
- Bright Lives – Learning Disability and Autism Day Service Colchester and Tendring (? Cost)
- https://project21uk.com/ – Dancing for people with T21. There’s a class in Stanway (Cost)
- https://rda.org.uk/rda-groups/ – Riding for the Disabled Association (Cost)
- Home – Therapy Gyms Therapy Gyms – Gym for children/adults with disabilities/SEND Sensory room on site also (Cost).