Movement During Winter

By: Alexandra Murtaugh

One of the gifts my 7 year-old son got for Christmas was a kid's FitBit watch that tracks his steps. Since it's connected to my phone, I get updates on his daily steps and I am able to see just how much he moves during a typical day. Remarkably, he averages about 18,000 steps per day when he's at home. However, when he's at school, that number is much lower, despite having recess.

As we consider how to cope with the gloomy winter weather, we need to realize that the winter significantly impacts many of our kids. Not only are they in school getting less movement, but by the time many children typically get home, it's already dark outside. Both time in the sun and movement are good for our mental wellbeing, and while we can't change the weather, we can be intentional about supporting our kids' need for movement during the winter months. Depending on the age of the child, increasing opportunities for movement can look like exercising together, going to the gym, building an indoor obstacle course, doing a kids' workout video, building a fort, or creating movement challenges. Even when it is lightly raining or snowing, kids can get outside and move! 

 Lastly, creating opportunities for smaller movements can make a big difference. Consider art projects, Legos, fine motor activities, and even the availability of fidgets. Activities like these allow children to release some energy and meet movement needs without having to plan an activity.

Research Tidbit

A 2016 study in Australia and Canada showed a relationship between weather and children's' physical activity, and sedentary time (Lewis, Maher, Belanger, Tremblay, Chaput, & Olds, 2016). The researchers utilized cross-sectional data from children 9-11 and found that Australian children were less likely to be physically active and Canadian children were more likely to be sedentary when there was an increase in rainfall, and that temperatures were also related to physical activity and sedentary behavior. While these results are not surprising, they are important to keep in mind as we support kids during months where there's an increase in indoor time. When we recognize that physical movement is key, and we know that the time of year will reduce opportunities for movement, we need to provide alternative movement opportunities. Without providing new opportunities, behavioral and emotional concerns can become predictable