Federal Government releases new movement guidelines for children

The Australian Government has today released new movement guidelines to help parents and carers create healthy daily practices for babies and young children.

With a major emphasis on reducing screen time and the use of electronic devices, such as mobile phones and tablets, the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines have been developed by experts across Australia with input from national and international stakeholders, and in partnership with the Government of Canada, which developed the world’s first 24-hour movement guidelines.

The Guidelines recommend that electronic devices should be limited to one-hour shifts for children under five while screen time for newborns to two-years-olds is not advised at all, while toddlers and young children up to the age of five should be limited to one hour a day.

Babies should get between 12 and 17 hours of good quality sleep, toddlers 11 to 14 hours and pre-schoolers 10 to 13 hours.

Recommending that parents develop healthy routines the Guidelines also advocates active play encouraging parents to let their children try a range of activities suited to their age such as obstacle courses, hide and seek, dancing and skipping.

Launching the Guidelines, Federal Minister for Health and Minister for Sport Greg Hunt said they were designed to help parents develop healthy routines, commenting “following the Guidelines is associated with better growth, stronger muscles and bones, better learning and thinking, better mental, emotional and social well-being, better motor skills, healthier weight, as well as reduced injuries. “

University of Wollongong Professor Tony Okely, who led the research, warned fast and quick transitions and flashing lights from screens could impact a child's brain development, adding “we can be physically active but if we're compromising our sleep or spending too much time in screen-based entertainment, that's going to compromise our health.”

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Image: Play at Yarra Ranges' Lilydale Lake Park.

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