When can I start taking my children running?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Kids who exercise — running or otherwise — have a reduced risk of childhood obesity, improved heart health, better mental health and a greater chance of being active in adulthood, says Hunter Bennett, a senior lecturer in sport science at Adelaide University.

While there is no hard and fast rule about when kids can start jogging or running longer distances, Dr Bennett says there are some considerations to determine if they’re ready.

Movement in play-based running is more varied which allows for development of qualities like muscle strength, power, bone density and social skills, experts sa. (file image)

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“The movement is more varied … they are performing movements sideways … jumping, landing, sprinting.

“[These] allow development of other qualities that are really important like muscle strength, power, and bone density … and social skills.”

Whereas longer distance jogging or running is a repetitive movement, involving long bouts of continuous activity, Dr Bennett says.

That doesn’t mean running is bad, he adds, it just means the risk of “overuse injuries”, such as shin splints, is greater. And kids aren’t getting the same variety of benefits.

That’s why it’s important to be mindful how far our kids run, and for how long for. And that it doesn’t replace play-based activity, Dr Bennett says.

David Lubans, director of Global Sport and Movement Collaborative at The University of Newcastle, describes play-based running as being like “spontaneous, interval training” that comes naturally to kids.

“Games kids play with a sporadic nature, [are] more aligned to what they are interested in. They don’t just do continuous training, unless coached to.

“They move because it’s fun and doing it with friends and playing games.”

He says young kids especially are less motivated to take part in something that is sold to them as exercise or fitness.

What age can my child start running?

Readiness varies between kids, but Dr Bennett says children five and under shouldn’t need “structured exercise”.

“Potentially even older, like six or seven, I would be a little bit hesitant to put anything strict in place.”

He says an indicator of when they might be ready for more structured activity, like running, may be when play becomes less “natural or organic” than it once was.

That might look like “going for a walk as a family, and having a bout of running in-between, or little running races. It doesn’t have to be a continuous run for a kilometre,” Dr Bennett says for example.

He says a rough guideline from seven onwards could be:

Ages seven to nine: children can start going on runs lasting 20 to 30 minutes, up to three times a week.
Ages 10 to 12: children can increase this to three to five runs per week that last 20 to 40 minutes at a time. However, the distance should be capped at about 5 kilometres.
Ages 13 to 17: teens can progress running on a more individual basis.

How to minimise the risks of running

Dr Hunter Bennett warns against pushing kids into any kind of sport or activity can “turn them off exercise more generally.” (file image)

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There is nothing “inherently dangerous” about kids running, but it’s important to make sure they work up the fitness and strength over time, Dr Bennett says.

“If they want to run 5km, we don’t just say ‘let’s do it’, we try some walking and running intervals, and increase gradually.”

Professor Lubans says the message should be “gradual and progressive”.

He says the biggest risk is children developing an aversion to exercise.

Dr Bennett warns kids who specialise in an activity too early in life do experience “much higher rates” of burnout.

“That does turn them off — we see that whether it’s long-distance running or a sport.

“We really want our kids doing a variety of activities all the way up into adulthood to get varied development of physical capacity, and exposure to different activities.”

He also warns pushing them into any kind of sport or activity can “turn them off exercise more generally.”

Keep it fun and positive

There are various activities parents can role model to make running types of exercise enjoyable for kids. (file image)

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Louise Baur, a professor of child and adolescent health at The University of Sydney, says there are a range of activities parents can role model to make running types of exercise enjoyable for kids.

“Children will enjoy games of tag or chase, red light/green light.

“Think of a range of types of activity: bush walking, dance moves, scavenger hunts, obstacle courses, walking the dog, water gun battle, shooting hoops, trampolining.”

How we talk about running and why we do it also matters, says Dr Bennett.

“Make it a really low-stress, low-pressure environment.”

Professor Lubans says to focus on running together to connect and socialise.

And choose a pleasant environment (not a 35-degree-Celsius day for example) out in nature, he suggests.

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