CSEP: 24 Hour Movement Guidelines Children and Youth 5-17
Canada’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth (ages 5–17) offer a groundbreaking, evidence-based framework that encourages a balanced approach to daily movement. These guidelines emphasize the importance of integrating all movement behaviors—physical activity, sedentary time, and sleep—to support overall health and well-being.
Teachers can use Canada’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth in a variety of ways to support students in developing lifelong habits that promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being. By integrating the principles of “Sweat, Step, Sleep, and Sit” into classroom routines, lesson planning, and school-wide initiatives, educators can foster a more balanced and health-conscious school environment.
For additional support in bringing these guidelines to life in your school community, please contact our lab—we’re here to help!
Canada’s 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth
Directives canadiennes en matière de mouvement sur 24 heures
CSEP: 24-Hour Movement Guidelines Adults 18-64
Canada’s first-ever 24-Hour Movement Guidelines have transformed how we think about healthy living. Rather than focusing solely on exercise, these guidelines highlight the importance of balancing all movement behaviors—physical activity, sedentary time, and sleep—throughout the entire day. This holistic approach encourages Canadians to “Sweat, Step, Sleep, and Sit” wisely to support overall well-being.
To help adults put these guidelines into practice, the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) developed the Whole Day Matters Toolkit. This user-friendly resource includes tools for assessing movement behaviors, tips for increasing physical activity, strategies to reduce prolonged sitting, and guidance on improving sleep quality. It’s designed for use by individuals, families, and even healthcare providers to support healthier daily routines
24-Hour Movement Guidelines
Whole Day Matters Toolkit
Government of Canada- Children and Physical Activity
The Government of Canada- Children and Physical Activity webpage offers essential information about the importance of physical activity during childhood. It highlights the many benefits of being active, including improved cardiovascular fitness, stronger bones and muscles, better mental health, and reduced risk of chronic diseases.
You’ll also find practical tips for encouraging physical activity—like walking or biking to school, playing outdoors, or joining community sports—and clear guidance on how much activity is enough. For children and youth aged 5 to 17, at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day is recommended.
Explore the page to discover how small, everyday actions can help children build healthy habits that last a lifetime.
Government of Canada- Children and Physical Activity
Additional Resource Link
Government of Canada- Physical Activity and Your Health
To achieve optimal health, Canadians are encouraged to move more and sit less throughout the day. The Government of Canada’s Physical Activity and Your Health webpage offers valuable insights into the many benefits of physical activity, along with practical tips to help people of all ages get moving. The site also includes tailored resources for children, youth, and adults—making it a great starting point for anyone looking to lead a more active lifestyle.
Government of Canada’s Physical Activity and Your Health
Additional Resource Link
Heart and Stroke Foundation- Heart Healthy Activity
The Heart and Stroke Foundation plays a vital role in health education by equipping health professionals, governments, and the public with up-to-date information on preventing and managing heart disease and stroke. Their Heart Healthy Activity page is a valuable resource for parents, caregivers, and teachers, offering tools to help children become more physically active.
This page includes practical tips, engaging videos, and age-appropriate activity suggestions that promote heart health and physical literacy. It emphasizes the importance of reducing sedentary time and encourages daily movement to support children’s physical, emotional, and cognitive development.
Heart Healthy Activity
ParticipACTION
Since 1971, ParticipACTION has been encouraging Canadians to get healthy by getting active.
This section of the website provides information on movement behaviour (physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep) guidelines as well as resources to improve habits associated with these movement behaviours for children and youth ages 5-17.
View Resource
Additional Resource Link
PHE Canada- Ready, Check, Go!
PHE Canada is a national leader in physical and health education and remains committed to supporting healthy, active lifestyles for children and youth. Their Ready, Check, Go! series is a fun and inclusive physical activity tracker designed to help children—and their parents or guardians—understand the importance and enjoyment of daily movement.
This resource includes a student workbook, a leader/teacher guide, and a parent/guardian guide, making it easy to integrate into classrooms, after-school programs, or home routines. It’s also designed to be inclusive for children of all abilities, ensuring every child can participate and thrive. To access this resource, you’ll need to create a free PHE Canada account.
PHE Canada
Ready, Check, Go!
We Can! Get Active
We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition) is a national education program developed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. It aims to promote healthy eating, increased physical activity, and reduced screen time among children.
The We Can! Get Active section of the website offers practical tips and creative ideas to help children and families move more each day. From fun activities to simple lifestyle changes, the program provides valuable tools to support healthier, more active living.
We Can! Get Active
