It's time to stand, stretch, and move more!
Many of us spend a lot of time sitting during the day at school or work, riding in a car, or using screens. This is known as sedentary behavior, and it can have negative effects on our health. Even if you exercise regularly, sitting for long periods can still pose risks.
That’s why it’s important to move more throughout the day. This can help you create healthy lifelong habits and lower your risk of developing chronic diseases. Being active can look like many things including active transportation, such as walking or wheeling to work and school, or active play for children and youth.
What do we do to help our community sit less and move more?
- Review municipal plans to share evidence and ideas to help make walking or wheeling easier and safer for all residents.
- Engage with municipalities through committee work in areas such as healthy community design, trails, transit, and healthy aging.
- Work with municipalities, school boards, schools, and community groups to encourage walking or wheeling for the school journey for elementary students.
Your voice matters in your community!
Where you live affects your health. The way the community is designed can impact your life in many ways, from the quality of the air you breathe to how physically active you are. Learn how you can make a difference and support being active in your community. You can:
- Explore your neighbourhood—look for ways to make it more walkable and active.
- Share your ideas with your municipality that support you and others to be active and reduce sitting time.
- Get involved in decisions your municipality makes about planning—learn how your community’s design affects your ability to move.
How can I be active?
There are many simple ways to add more movement to your day. One great way is through active transportation—getting around using your own energy!
Active Transportation:
Active transportation means walking, biking, or wheeling to get where you need to go. You can use it to get to school or work, go shopping, or visit friends and family. For longer trips, you can combine it with public transit. Taking public transit helps reduce air pollution and is better for your health and the environment.
Active School Travel:
Walking or wheeling to / from school is one of the easiest ways for kids to get daily physical activity. It helps reduce time spent sitting and can lead to students arriving on time, feeling refreshed, and ready to learn. Over time, this can become a healthy habit that lasts a lifetime.
Parents and caregivers benefit too! Walking or wheeling with children means fewer cars in school zones, which helps reduce traffic congestion and safety issues, and reduce air pollution where kids are.
Schools can also support active school travel by joining School Travel Planning (STP) programs. In our region, the Simcoe Muskoka On the Move initiative is using the STP approach to help more students walk and wheel to school.
Active Play:
Another fun way to move more is through active play. This kind of play is unplanned, self-directed, and full of energy like running, jumping, or climbing.
Active play helps kids:
- Improve balance, coordination, and motor skills
- Build creativity and problem-solving skills
- Learn to manage emotions and work with others
- Develop speech and social skills (especially in younger children)
For fun activity ideas, check out Active for Life – Raising Physically Literate Kids.
Quick Tips to Sit Less and Move More
Here are some easy ways to add movement to your day:
- Set reminders to get up and move.
- Stand and stretch regularly, even at your desk.
- Move during screen time—walk or stretch during shows.
- Take active breaks—go for a walk at lunch or during breaks.
- Talk in person instead of emailing coworkers.
- Try walking meetings—inside or outside.
- Stretch on the go—take breaks during long drives.
The more you move, the more you benefit, and you’ll inspire others too!
How much activity do I need?
The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines provide recommendations for different age groups to balance physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep for your whole day:
| Age Group | Move | Sleep | Sit |
| Infants (0-11 months) | Floor-based play several times a day
30 minutes of tummy time spread throughout the day if not crawling or walking | 0-3 months: 14-17 hours
4-11 months: 12-16 hours
(including naps) | No more than 1 hour in a seat (highchair, stroller, car seat, etc.)
No screen time
Read together while sitting
|
| Toddlers (1-2 years) | At least 180 minutes of active play spread throughout the day | 11-14 hours (including naps) | No more than 1 hour in a seat (highchair, stroller, car seat, etc.)
Under 2 years: no screen time
Age 2: maximum 1 hour per day screen time |
| Preschoolers (3-4 years) | At least 180 minutes of active play spread throughout the day where 60 minutes should be energetic | 10-13 hours (may include a nap) | No more than 1 hour in a seat (highchair, stroller, car seat, etc.)
Max 1 hour per day of screen time
Read or tell stories
|
| Children and Youth (5-17 years) | At least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous activity (sweating, breathing harder) Several hours of light physical activities (like walking and outdoor play) every day. | Ages 5–13: 9–11 hours
Ages 14–17: 8–10 hours
Keep regular bed/wake times | Limit sitting for long periods
Maximum 2 hours per day of recreational screen time |
Adults (18-64 years)
| At least 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous activity (sweating, breathing harder)
Muscle strengthening 2 times per week (stairs, lifting or carrying items)
Several hours of light activity daily (household chores) | 7–9 hours of good-quality sleep with regular bed/wake times | Maximum 8 hours per day of sedentary behaviour
No more than 3 hours of recreational screen time |
| Older Adults (65+ years) | At least 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous activity (sweating, breathing harder)
Muscle strengthening 2 times per week (stairs, lifting or carrying items)
Several hours of light activity daily (household chores, gardening)
Activities to challenge balance (standing on one leg, Tai Chi, yoga) | 7–9 hours of good-quality sleep with regular bed/wake times | Max 8 hours per day sitting
No more than 3 hours of recreational screen time |
For information about physical activity during pregnancy, visit: https://www.simcoemuskokahealth.org/Topics/PregnancyandBefore/Pregnancy/Exercise.aspx.
