- Definition
Health-related fitness means being strong and healthy enough to do everyday activities without getting too tired, like having a healthy heart, flexible muscles, and enough strength and stamina.
Running for the whole recess without stopping shows good cardiovascular fitness, which is one part of health-related fitness.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Health-related fitness is like a video game character's stats — you need good stamina, strength, and flexibility to complete different challenges.
Ask your child: When you play soccer, what different kinds of fitness does your body use?
Common mix-up: Kids may think fitness just means being a fast runner. Health-related fitness is actually a team of skills, including heart health, strength, and flexibility.
Examples
- Being able to touch your toes easily is a sign of good flexibility.
- Doing many push-ups in a row shows muscular endurance, while lifting a heavy backpack shows muscular strength.
health-related fitness is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
- Grade 5 Health and Physical Education
- Grade 6 Health and Physical Education
- Grade 7 Health and Physical Education
+3 more mentions across the curriculum
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
