Canada’s youngest generation is off to a good start for being physically active, but there’s also room to grow, according to a first-ever national assessment focused on children under age five, led by a University of Alberta researcher.
ParticipACTION’s 2026 Report Card on Physical Activity for the Early Years shows that 67 per cent of children met the physical activity recommendation and 80 per cent met the sleep recommendation outlined in the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (Ages 0–4). But at the same time, fewer than half — 48 per cent — met screen time limits, and just 25 per cent met all three age-specific physical activity, sleep and screen time recommendations.
The guidelines recommend 12 to 17 hours of sleep, including naps, for babies less than a year old, 11 to 14 hours for toddlers aged one to two, and 10 to 13 hours for preschoolers aged three to four. Babies should get at least 30 minutes of tummy time, and toddlers and preschoolers a minimum of 180 minutes of physical activity throughout the day, including at least an hour of energetic play for the older group. No more than one hour of sedentary screen time is advised for those aged two to four, and none at all is recommended for children under two.
The results show clear areas of strength to protect and maintain, alongside critical gaps in healthy movement behaviours that need targeted action, says Dr. Valerie Carson, a professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation and the chief scientific officer who led development of the report card.
“While it’s encouraging that young children are off to a promising start for physical activity and sleep, screen time has emerged as a challenge, and a healthy balance of these behaviours is integral for optimal growth and development in the early years.”
Drawing on the best available national, pan-Canadian and regional data on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep, the report card provides the most comprehensive assessment ever conducted of movement behaviours among young children and establishes a national benchmark to help track progress in the years ahead.
The report card brings new attention to an age group that has received less focus than the school-age years, despite early childhood being a critical stage of development, Carson notes.
“Supporting young children in moving more, engaging in less sedentary behaviour and sleeping well is vital, because it builds a strong foundation for their growing bodies and minds,” she says. “It helps develop their speech, brainpower and muscles while boosting their emotional health and setting them up for a lifetime of healthy habits.”
Though many Canadian youngsters are physically active, not all of them have the same opportunities to move and play, the report shows.
Those in lower-income households had less access to recreation facilities, playgrounds, parks and green spaces, and along with their peers living in rural areas and those from racial and ethnic minority populations, were also less likely to take part in structured physical activity such as swimming lessons and soccer. As well, while 41 per cent of young children participate in such activity, just 22 per cent of Canadian communities have a formal strategy mapped out for physical activity and sport.
There are opportunities to ensure all little ones can thrive, the report notes. It points to Canada’s child care system as one of the most promising public health tools, and suggests investing in educator training. The findings show that while 78 per cent of early childhood education settings provide access to facilities and equipment that support movement, only 53 per cent provide training and professional development for educators on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep.
Overall, the findings can help guide a collective effort from governments, organizations, health-care professionals, community planners, educators and families in creating opportunities for young kids to build positive lifelong movement, sleep and screen time habits, which is important, Carson suggests, noting that physical inactivity costs Canada $3.9 billion annually in avoidable health-care expenditures.
“Building a healthier, more active nation begins in the early years. Supporting healthy movement behaviour patterns early in life builds the foundation for thriving, resilient communities now and in the future.”
Valerie Carson is a member of the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI) and Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Movement Behaviours and Child Health. This research is supported by the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation through WCHRI.