How active do I need to be?

• Children and young people need to be moderately active for at least 60 minutes (1 hour) every day. 
• Adults should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week.

The full amount of activity doesn’t all have to be done at once.  You can build it up over the day – but you will need to be active for at least 10 minutes each time. 

If you or your child is not regularly active at the moment, start gradually and build up to your target.  A little activity is better than none – concentrating on having fun will make it more enjoyable and easier to reach your target. Our active games section has instructions for over 20 active games suitable for children up-to 11 or 12.

For your child to enjoy all the benefits of an active life, they need to be active at home and during their leisure time as well as at school.  Most schools do not have the time to provide all the activity your child needs every day. The little steps for being active on this site give lots of ideas to help get the whole family active.

What is moderate activity?

Moderate activity is any activity that raises your heart beat, causes you to perspire (sweat slightly), breath quicker but still be able to carry on a conversation.  Examples of moderate intensity activities include:

• brisk walking 
• games and active play
• dance
• cycling
• swimming
• most sports

Visit the activities in your area section to find out where you can get information about all these activities. You can also get instructions for active games that younger children will enjoy in the games section of the website.

Remember to include some activities to develop muscular strength, flexibility and bone health a few times a week also.  Some examples of these activities include:

• skipping
• jumping
• climbing
• gymnastics
• yoga or pilates
• swimming

These activities will all help to make you stronger, more flexible and are good for your bones.

You can find out more about physical activity at www.getirelandactive.ie 

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