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
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.
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Additional Resource Link
SBRN- 10 Years of Measuring Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity in Canada
This article on the Sedentary Behaviour Research Network website describes 10 years of measuring sedentary behaviour and physical activity in Canada. Read on to learn about the reality and prominence of sedentary behaviours within Canada, as well as tools and resources to measure and improve physical activity levels throughout the day.
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SBRN- Website
The Sedentary Behaviour Research Network is the only organization with a specific focus on the health impacts of sedentary behaviour, providing a platform for researchers and health professionals to share their knowledge with the community.
The website provides in-depth knowledge as well as recent research on sedentary behaviour.
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We Can! Reduce Screen Time
We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition) is a national education program designed to encourage healthy eating, increase physical activity, and reduce screen-time in children.
We Can! Reduce Screen Time encourages children and families to sit less and move more. The website contains valuable information and provides several tips and ideas to decreasing sedentary behaviour.
We Can! Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
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