A–B. Active Living and Movement Competence · Active Living and Movement: Move Well, Train Smart, Stay Safe

Active for Life: Enjoyment, Barriers and Solutions

A1.2 1.2 1.5About 70 minutes

Learning goals

I can explain the factors that make physical activity enjoyable and help people stay active for life.
I can identify barriers that stop people from being active regularly.
I can choose and plan strategies, including time management, to overcome my own barriers.
I can use a problem-solving process to make a realistic activity plan.

Words to know

lifelong physical activity
Staying active through every stage of life: as a teen, adult and older adult.

barrier
Anything that makes it harder to be active, such as weather, time, cost, access or low confidence.

intrinsic motivation
Doing something because you enjoy it or value it for itself.

extrinsic motivation
Doing something for an outside reason, like a reward, a grade or praise.

time management
Planning how you will use your time so the things that matter fit in.

access
Being able to reach and use places, programs and equipment, for example a nearby park or an affordable program.

Remember from Grade 8

In Grade 8 you explored what makes an activity enjoyable for you and how family, friends, media and community influence how active people are. In Grade 9 you go further: you look at what keeps people active for their whole lives, and you make a real plan to get past your own barriers.

Hook: why do so many people stop?

Think of kids at a park: they run, climb and chase without being told. Yet Canadian surveys keep finding that many teens and adults do not get enough activity. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, a lot of people stop moving.

Why? Usually it isn't one big reason. It's small barriers that pile up: a busy schedule, cold weather, a part-time job, no one to go with. The good news: every barrier has strategies, and you can learn them now.

How much is enough?

The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth (ages 5 to 17) recommend:

at least 60 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity;
vigorous activity and muscle- and bone-strengthening activities at least 3 days a week;
several hours of light activity;
no more than 2 hours a day of recreational screen time;
8 to 10 hours of sleep a night for ages 14 to 17.

PPL1O asks you to do at least 20 minutes of sustained moderate to vigorous activity in class. The rest of your 60 minutes comes from the rest of your day: walking or biking to school, sports, chores, play.

What keeps people active for life

The curriculum names many factors that help people enjoy activity and keep doing it:

Health benefits you can feel: feeling good, having more energy, better stamina.
The joy of movement itself: the feeling of gliding on skates or hitting a ball well.
Adapting games so they suit the people playing (fewer players, softer ball, new rules).
Opportunities and support: chances to participate, access to facilities and programs, time to practise, and support from family and friends.
Personal and cultural interests: activities connected to who you are, like a dance from your family's culture, lacrosse, or Inuit and Dene games.
Competing and socializing: some people love a challenge against others; many love being active with friends.
Challenge and success: activities that are hard but doable lead to success, and success builds confidence.

Research on motivation shows that intrinsic motivation (doing it because you enjoy it or it matters to you) usually lasts longer than extrinsic motivation (rewards and grades). That's why finding activities you like matters so much.

Common barrier	Examples of strategies
Weather (cold, rain, heat, dark evenings)	Move indoors (stairs, home workout video, mall walking, community centre); dress in layers and wear reflective gear; enjoy winter activities like skating and snowshoeing
Low motivation	Exercise with a friend; pick activities you enjoy; set small goals; track progress; use music
Time (homework, job, family duties)	Schedule activity like a class; use active transportation; split into shorter bouts; combine with family time
Cost	Free options: walking, running, park trails, outdoor rinks, library equipment loans, community drop-in programs, school teams and clubs
Access and transportation	Activities near home; online videos; ask about accessible programs and adapted equipment
Low confidence or self-consciousness	Start with a friend or small group; beginner programs; focus on personal progress

Barriers and strategies. Most barriers have several possible solutions; the best one fits your life.

Three examples from the curriculum: when the weather changes, move indoors or change clothing; when motivation is low, exercise with a friend; when time is tight, use time management.

Living skill: time management (1.2)

Many Grade 9 students are busier than ever: more homework, clubs, maybe a first part-time job or caring for younger siblings. Time management means:

List your fixed commitments (school, job shifts, family duties).
Find open blocks of time, even short ones (15 to 20 minutes counts).
Book activity into those blocks, like an appointment.
Protect them. Tell your family; put them in your phone calendar.
Review at the end of the week. What worked? What didn't?

One sample school day, in hours. Even a busy day has room for 1 hour of activity when it is planned. Walking to and from school would also count.

Worked example

Let's solve Mei's barrier problem

Mei works at a grocery store on Saturday and Sunday, and she watches her little brother after school on Tuesday and Thursday. She wants to be active at least 5 days a week. Use a problem-solving process (living skill 1.5) to help her.

1. Identify the problem: Mei has no long free blocks on weekends, Tuesday or Thursday.
2. Brainstorm options: walk to work; play an active game with her brother at the park; join a lunch-hour club; do a 20-minute home workout; bike with a friend on Monday and Wednesday.
3. Weigh the options: walking to work is free and needs no extra time. Park games with her brother count as activity and childcare at the same time.
4. Choose and plan: Mon and Wed: 45-minute bike ride or run with her friend Sara. Tue and Thu: 30 minutes of tag and catch with her brother at the park. Sat and Sun: walk 20 minutes each way to work. Fri: lunch-hour basketball club.
5. Try it, then evaluate: after two weeks, Mei checks which parts worked and adjusts.

Mei can be active 7 days a week by using active transportation, combining activity with family duties, and booking times with a friend. Barriers became part of the plan instead of reasons to skip.

Hands-on activity

My barrier-buster plan and weather-proof workout

Part 1: plan (20 min). You need a notebook or a phone calendar.

Write down your top two barriers to being active.
For each barrier, brainstorm three strategies. Circle the most realistic one.
Fill in a weekly calendar with your fixed commitments. Book at least five activity blocks of 20 minutes or more.
Name one support person (friend, parent, coach) and tell them your plan.

Part 2: weather-proof workout (25 min, indoors). You need running shoes, a clear space about 2 m by 2 m, and a timer.

Warm-up (5 min): march, arm circles, side steps, gentle squats.
Main part (15 min): repeat 3 times: 1 min jumping jacks (or step-jacks), 1 min squats, 1 min fast feet on the spot, 1 min wall push-ups, 1 min easy march.
Cool-down (5 min): slow march, then stretch calves, quadriceps, hamstrings and chest.

Safety: Move furniture and rugs out of the way. Wear shoes on hard floors. Keep water nearby. Stop if you feel pain or dizziness.

Just for fun

Funny but true: basketball was invented by James Naismith, a teacher born near Almonte, Ontario, who was asked to create an indoor game to keep students active during a cold New England winter. Talk about beating the weather barrier!

Your turn

How many minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day do the Canadian guidelines recommend for youth?

Name four factors that help people enjoy activity and stay active for life.

Give a strategy for the barrier "It's -25 °C and windy today."

What is the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation?

Name two free ways to be active in a Canadian community.

List the five steps of time management from this lesson.

More practice: warm-up

How much sleep do the Canadian guidelines recommend for 14- to 17-year-olds?

What is a barrier?

Is "I get a sticker for every workout" intrinsic or extrinsic motivation?

Name one way to be active while getting to school.

What is the recreational screen-time limit in the guidelines?

More practice: on your own

Explain why intrinsic motivation usually keeps people active longer than extrinsic motivation.

Tyler is new in town and doesn't know anyone. He used to play hockey. Suggest two strategies to help him stay active.

A family can't afford registration fees. Suggest three low-cost activities for a Canadian winter.

Explain how adapting a game can help more people enjoy it. Give an example.

Mei's plan uses active transportation to work. Why is this a strong strategy?

Challenge

Sam's school days look like this: sleep 9 h, school and travel 7.5 h, homework 2 h, meals and family 2.5 h, screens 3 h. How much time is left in 24 hours? How could Sam reach 60 minutes of activity and meet the screen-time guideline?

Ana is a strong runner but has stopped running because she says it got boring. Use the factors from the lesson to suggest a plan that would bring back her enjoyment.

Explain why the curriculum treats barriers as something to plan around rather than a reason to stop. Use an example from your own life or a made-up one.

Check your understanding

Quiz

The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommend that youth get at least:

Which is an example of intrinsic motivation?

It's raining hard and you planned to run outside. Which is the best strategy?

Which is NOT a factor that supports lifelong activity?

Time management means:

Exercising with a friend mainly helps with which barrier?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Expectation A1.2 asks students to understand what makes activity enjoyable and lifelong, and to identify barriers and strategies. Living skills 1.2 (adaptive and coping, including time management) and 1.5 (problem solving) are woven in.

How to help at home:

Look at the family week together and help your teen book activity blocks, especially around jobs or childcare duties.
Be a support person: offer rides, go for walks, or join in.
Point out free options in your community (outdoor rinks, trails, drop-in programs).

Common difficulties:

Unrealistic plans (two hours a day, seven days a week). Encourage short, realistic blocks first.
Treating rewards as the main motivator. Help them find activities they genuinely enjoy.
Mixing up the guidelines. 60 minutes a day is the daily goal; PPL1O asks for at least 20 minutes of sustained activity in class.

Safety: For winter activity, dress in layers, cover skin, and watch for frostbite. Indoor workouts need a clear space and proper footwear.