Moving into the New Year with Lifelong Healthy Habits for Your Child.
As we move into a new calendar year, many parents are re-evaluating health, habits, and priorities for their families. This transition presents an ideal opportunity to emphasize the importance of staying active for children ages 6-14, laying the foundation for a lifetime of wellness. For parents of children in this age range, it’s critical to understand not only why the importance of staying active matters, but also how to support, encourage, and model this behavior — especially given current trends in screen time, sedentary lifestyles, and the evolving demands of growing up.
In this blog post, we’ll explore:
- A look back — how children’s activity levels and lifestyles 30 years ago compare to now.
- Why the importance of staying active is heightened today (and for tomorrow).
- The impact of screen time and why it compounds the need for activity.
- Practical strategies for parents to help children develop lifelong healthy habits — including martial arts as one strong option.
- A New Year’s themed plan: helping your child move into the year with purpose around activity.
A Look Back: Then vs. Now
“Then” — 30 Years Ago
Three decades ago (the early-to-mid 1990s), many children experienced childhood differently than many do today:
- Outdoor unstructured play was far more common — riding bikes, climbing trees, games of tag, neighborhood pick-up sports.
- School physical education (PE) programs and recess often had more space in the schedule.
- Active transportation (walking or biking to school) was more prevalent in many communities.
- Screen time, while present (TV, video games), was far less prevalent, and smartphones/tablets did not exist.
In that context, children were often naturally more physically active simply by virtue of lifestyle patterns and environments. Because of this, the importance of staying active was more organically built into daily routines.
“Now” — Today’s Landscape
Fast forward to today: children aged 6-14 face a drastically different environment:
- Technology and screens dominate leisure time: smartphones, tablets, streaming video, gaming consoles.
- Many schools have reduced recess or PE time, or have shifted their focus due to budget, testing, and safety concerns.
- Safe outdoor play and neighborhood free-roam is more constrained by traffic, parental supervision concerns, and structured schedules.
- According to recent US data, only about 61.1 % of children and adolescents aged 12–17 reported ≥ 60 minutes of physical activity most days; this declines as screen time increases (70.4 % among ≤2 h screens vs. 54.4 % among ≥4 h screens). CDC
- In surveys of children aged 6–9: while 79.4 % played actively >1 h/day, half were not members of sport or dance clubs, and 60.2 % had screen time <2 h/day. PubMed
- In a U.S. national sample: only 23 % of children met physical activity guidelines, and 32.9 % met screen time guidelines; merely 8.8 % achieved all three: physical activity + screen time + sleep. PMC
These numbers illustrate the urgency behind the importance of staying active: our children’s baseline opportunities and behaviors have shifted, making deliberate activity choices more essential than ever.
Why the Importance of Staying Active is Greater Than Ever
When we think of the importance of staying active, we’re talking about more than simply “moving” — it encompasses physical health, mental/emotional well-being, social connection, coordination and cognitive benefits, immunity benefits and long term habit formation. For children aged 6-14 — the transition years toward adolescence — this activity becomes especially impactful.
Physical health
Regular physical activity supports healthy growth, development of bone and muscle strength, cardiovascular fitness, coordination, and flexibility. It also helps to regulate energy balance and manage weight. Research shows that a combination of low physical activity and high screen time is associated with being overweight and obesity among adolescents. JAMA Network+1
Mental and cognitive benefits
Active children tend to have better mood, less anxiety and depression risk, improved attention, and higher self-esteem. Developing the mindset that the importance of staying active matters instills positive self-identity.
Habit formation and tracking into adulthood
Behaviors in childhood often track into adolescence and then adulthood. The earlier children learn that the importance of staying active is a normal part of their lifestyle. For example, the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that physical activity habits during childhood tend to continue into adolescence and adulthood. World Health Organization+1
Social and developmental aspects
Activity often involves interaction, teamwork, challenges and growth — whether playing a sport, doing martial arts, or simply running around outside. This is especially relevant for children ages 6-14, who are developing peer relationships and social competence.
Mitigating sedentary risks
In our digital era, the risks of inactivity and excessive screen time are real. Staying active thus becomes a protective factor — against obesity, poor sleep, reduced fitness, and diminished cognitive development into adolescence and adulthood.
This is especially important for parents of children aged 6-14, to emphasize the importance of staying active now. This helps them enter Adulthood with stronger habits and resilience.
Screen Time, Sedentary Behavior & the Impact into Adulthood
One of the biggest challenges when discussing the importance of staying active is counteracting the rise of sedentary behavior — especially screen time.
What the data says about screen time
- A systematic review found that higher levels of screen time in young children (0–5 years) are associated with higher adiposity, sleep problems, lower motor development, and poorer psychosocial health. PMC+1
- Among children aged 4 to 11 in the U.S., 65 % had >2 h/day of screen time, and 37.3 % had low levels of active play (<7 times/week). BioMed Central
- In adolescents aged 12–17, physical activity decreases with increasing screen time: 70.4 % of those with ≤2 h screen time met the 60 min/day guideline vs. 54.4 % of those with ≥4 h. CDC
- In a very direct way: the combination of low physical activity + high screen time has more negative effect than either alone. JAMA Network+1
Why this affects the importance of staying active
If children spend more time in front of screens and less time moving, they miss not only the direct benefits of activity but also increase exposure to the risks of inactivity. Therefore, elevating the importance of staying active means creating space and priority for movement in the face of competing screen-based attractions.
Impact into adulthood
Childhood behaviors form the foundation for adult habits. Sedentary behavior and high screen use in youth are linked with adult disease risk (e.g., cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart issues). Even if a physically active child uses screens, if their screen time is excessive and activity low, risks persist. The earlier we embed the value of movement, the better chance we have of preventing long-term sedentary outcomes.
Screen time affects more than just physical health
Beyond physical health, increased screen time correlates with poorer sleep, reduced attention span, and behavior or mental health concerns — all of which counteract some of the benefits that staying active can deliver. For example:
- A review found that excessive screen time was linked with anxiety, depression and ADHD in children/adolescents; physical activity mediated part of these associations. arXiv
- The displacement effect: screen time can displace social play, outdoor movement, active transport, all of which are opportunities to engage with the importance of staying active. nature.com
Practical Strategies for Parents: Building Lifelong Activity Habits
Now let’s turn toward action. To embed the importance of staying active in your child’s life, here are thoughtfully crafted strategies tailored for children ages 6-14.
A. Choose engaging movement options
- Introduce them to a range of physical activities: free play outdoors, sports, dance, running games, structured activities such as martial arts. Martial arts provide strength, discipline, coordination, and camaraderie — reinforcing the importance of staying active in both body and mind.
- Help your child pick at least one activity they enjoy and can participate in weekly. Enjoyment matters: children are more likely to stick with something they have fun doing.
B. Make it routine & non-negotiable
- Aim for at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) — the general guidance for children. Reinforce that staying active means making this part of their daily rhythm, not just occasional bursts.
- Carve out consistent times: e.g., after school until snack, or right before homework.
- Use “tech-free zones/times” — e.g., no screens while moving and at least 15 minutes before a scheduled activity.
C. Model and reinforce the behavior
- As a parent or guardian, model activity: go on walks, engage in physical play, attend your child’s activity sessions. This shows that you value the importance of staying active.
- Provide verbal reinforcement: praise the activity, emphasize how you see them getting stronger, faster, more confident.
- Make family movement a thing: weekend play, biking, family martial-arts drills, or fun obstacle courses, dancing or even playing catch or tag.
D. Limit screen time consciously
- Set clear boundaries around recreational screen time (video games, streaming, phones) so that the emphasis on staying active isn’t undermined by sedentary defaults.
- Use screen time as a reward for active time rather than the default.
- Encourage alternative low-screen transitional activities: a short movement burst, a quick martial-arts kata practice, jump rope, or a some other activity that gets them moving.
E. Embed learning & mindset
- Educate your child about WHY activity matters: their heart, their mood, their growth, even their brain power. This nurtures internal motivation around the importance of staying active.
- Use milestones: “Next belt test in martial arts? Let’s train these specific moves this week.”
- Encourage self-reflection: “How did I feel after practice today?” “What did my body do well?” This builds ownership of their activity.
F. Transition toward adolescence
Children ages 6-14 are in a window of transition toward teen years — habits formed now matter. Emphasize the importance of staying active as a lifelong habit, not just childhood fun. Help them build independence: allow them to pick a sport or style, schedule their own sessions, track progress. As they age, their preferences may shift — but, the habit of movement stays.
New Year’s Plan: Helping Your Child Move into the Year with Purpose
As we enter a new year, now is the ideal moment to embrace the importance of staying active as a family priority. Here is a step-by-step guide to launch this with your child.
First: Set a family “Active Intentions” meeting
- At the start of the year (January), sit down with your family and discuss: What are our goals for movement? Why is activity important for your health, mood, growth?
- Make it interactive: ask the child what types of movement they like, what times they feel most energetic, and commit to a weekly routine together.
Next: Define a simple weekly plan
- Decide on: at least 60 minutes/day of activity (per day goal).
- Schedule 3–5 structured sessions (e.g., martial-arts class, soccer, dance, weekend bike ride, after-school play).
- Build in “free play” time: informal movement, tag, jump rope, climbing, running etc.
- Set a maximum screen-time policy (e.g., ≤2 h/day for non-school use) to protect time for movement — remembering how screen time reduces physical activity.
Then: Track progress & celebrate
- Create a visible chart or use an app where you mark each day the child completed their movement goal.
- Celebrate: a small reward after 4 consecutive weeks of meeting activity targets. This is a good time frame for setting new habits. Reinforce the idea: “We’re doing this because staying active is important for you.”
- Encourage reflection: “How do you feel when you’ve moved today? What did you notice about your energy, focus, mood?”
Adjust and mix it up
- Every few months review: which activities did your child like? Which they didn’t? Adjust accordingly.
- Introduce variation: maybe try a youth sparring seminar, or cross-train with another sport, learn a new activity. These help emphasize the importance of staying active doesn’t mean “the same thing every day” but rather “keeping moving in engaging ways.”
- Emphasize progression: easier to harder movements, longer sessions, new challenges. This builds self-efficacy and reinforces the mindset of staying active as a skill.
Make life-long mindset
- As you approach spring and beyond, talk about how the habits your child is forming now (ages 6-14) will carry into their teen years and adult life. Reinforce the importance of staying active as not just for “now” but for “forever”.
- Help them reflect: “When you’re 16 or 20, would you rather: (a) feel energetic, strong and confident, or (b) feel sluggish, out of breath, less mobile?” Movement is a choice – and right now we’re choosing to keep moving.
- Keep reinforcing: “You’re learning a lifelong habit of motion. That’s why staying active is important.”
Summary & Final Thoughts
As parents of children ages 6-14, you hold a pivotal role in guiding your child into this new year with intention around movement. The importance of staying active cannot be overstated — especially given the modern realities of increased screen time, decreased free play, and the shifting landscape of children’s activity. By understanding how we got here (then vs. now), clarifying why staying active matters, addressing the screen-time challenge head-on, and implementing concrete strategies with your child (including leveraging martial arts opportunities), you’re not simply helping them “get more exercise” — you’re helping them build a habit, a mindset, and a foundation for lifelong health.
Here’s to a year ahead where your child moves with purpose, confidence and joy — and carries the value of staying active well into their teen years and beyond.
