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Physical activity offers a range of benefits for all ages and abilities as part of a healthy lifestyle. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, physical activity is important across all age ranges.  Here’s what they say…

Source: Government of Canada

For Children (5-11 years)

• Physical activity is essential for healthy growth and development.
• Regular physical activity in childhood develops cardiovascular fitness, strength and bone density.
• Physical activity plays an important role in the health, well-being and quality of life of Canadians and helps to prevent chronic diseases like cancer, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease later in life.
• Establishing positive habits early in childhood and adolescence can last a lifetime.

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Physical Activity Guideline 5-11

Download and read this handout (Physical Activity Guideline 5-11) to learn more about movement guidelines.

Download File,

Source: Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology

Being active doesn’t have to be difficult. There are many ways to make physical activity a part of daily life - at home, at school, at work, at play, and on the way.

Getting started is easier than you think. Start now and slowly increase your physical activity to meet the guidelines outlined in this session. They can be met through planned exercise sessions, active forms of transportation like walking or biking, as well as recreation and sports.

Download and print a copy of the Challenge Yourself to Move calendar below.  Take some time to think about and record your thoughts about WHY you want to become more active and HOW you will build activity into your weekly routine.  Then post the calendar in a location where you’ll see it every day!

Source: Ontario Brain Institute

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Physical Activity Calendar

For more ideas about how you can challenge yourself to move download the Physical Activity Calendar from the Ontario Brain Institute.

Download File

Physical activity can help you feel better, reduce stress and maintain health. It helps to prevent muscle weakness and health complications associated with inactivity.

Physical activity also promotes a normal day-and-night routine and may help to improve mood. The type of activity that works best for you will depend on your fitness level, present activity level and overall health.   

Take the Be Active! Quiz to learn more about the role of physical activity in the health, well-being and quality of life of Canadians. It’s a short quiz with ten questions – made available by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Click here to take the quiz.

Source: Public Health Agency of Canada

In geocaching, you use a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver to navigate to a "geocache" - a hidden object or natural feature. Started in 2000, geocaching is a growing outdoor recreational activity that combines physical activity, technology, the outdoors and the thrill of exploration. It's an intergenerational, low impact, healthy activity that promotes natural heritage learning.

Natural and recreational areas, including Alberta's parks, are used for geocaching adventures. There are more than 1,000 geocaches in the provincial parks system, with requests for additional cache sites continuing to submitted.

Click here to see a map for geocaches in Alberta Parks.

(Updates are done annually so the map is accurate as of the last data synch.) Geocaching.com administers all geocaches in Alberta and has the most up-to-date listing.

Source: Government of Alberta

Sudoku is a number puzzle where you have to fill a grid with numbers 1 through 9, with each number appearing only once in a row, column, or box. The game makes you think critically and helps improve concentration skills.

There are many mobile and hard copy options available. Give your brain a small challenge by playing a game of sudoku. - There's a new puzzle every day!

Click here to access and download today’s sudoku.

Source: Alzheimer Society of Canada

Crossword puzzles help delay the onset of memory decline in people who develop dementia. This brain activity helps you improve your verbal skills, and forces you to think deeply.

Give your brain a small challenge by playing a game of crossword. - There's a new puzzle every day!

Click here to access and download today’s crossword.

Source: Alzheimer Society of Canada

Here’s a fun activity to challenge your brain! It’s a little more challenging than the previous activity in Part 3.

Take a few minutes and see how well you do. It’s not a test, just another example of one of the many activities you can do to give your brain a boost.

How to play?

• See below four (4) audio clips of easy piano melodies.  They’re brief – just seconds in length!
• Listen to the four (4) audio clips.  Listen closely!
• Decide which two (2) of the audio clips are the exact same melodies.
• Check out the link below for the correct answer

Good luck!

Source: ASANT CAFE

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Piano Melody A

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Piano Melody B

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Piano Melody C

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Piano Melody D

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Here’s a fun activity to challenge your brain! Take a few minutes and see how well you do. It’s not a test, just another example of one of the many activities you can do to give your brain a boost.

How to play?

• See below three (3) audio clips of easy piano melodies.  They’re brief – just seconds in length!
• Listen to the three (3) audio clips.  Listen closely!
• Decide which two (2) of the audio clips are the exact same melodies.
• Check out the link below for the correct answer

Good luck!

Source: ASANT CAFE

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Piano Melody A

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Piano Melody B

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Piano Melody C

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Challenging your brain doesn't have to be difficult. It can be as simple as dialing a phone number with your less dominant hand or as complex as learning a new language.

Remember, the goal is to give your brain a new experience and a workout every day.

Try some of these ideas!

1. Play chess, word and number puzzles, jigsaws, crosswords and memory games.
2. Pursue a new interest such as learning to play a musical instrument, taking a course or going to the theatre.
3. Break your routine – take a different route to the store or change the order of your morning routine.
4. Involve one or more of your senses in a novel way - write your name with your opposite hand.
5. Read a book or go see a movie – discuss it with a friend.
6. Pursue cultural activities like going to plays, museums, concerts and galleries.
7. Keep up hobbies such as sewing, carpentry or take up a new hobby.
8. Cross train your brain – try a variety of challenges.

Note: Your abilities, health and interests should be taken into consideration when choosing brain healthy activities. If you have questions about your own situation, speak to your doctor or health care provider.

Source: Alzheimer Society of Canada

Studies have shown that keeping your brain active by challenging your brain in new ways may help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimers disease. Research also shows that using your brain can build new cells and strengthen connections between them. This helps build up a safety net in case some brain cells are damaged or die. 

Giving your brain a workout doesn't have to be difficult. Simply approach daily routines in new ways and you will be engaging new or little use pathways in your brain.

The research stresses the importance of overcoming routine and monotony in our daily lives and coming up with different ways of challenging your brain.

How exactly do you get your brain to workout?

It can be as simple as trying something new or changing the way you normally do something; for example dialling the phone or writing your name with your less dominant hand. Learning a new game or language could also be something challenging. The goal is to give your brain a new experience and a workout each and every day. Think about things that you might be interested in trying to keep your brain active and healthy.

Source: ASANT CAFE

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Brain Health - Challenge your brain

Check out this video for more tips about challenging your brain:

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