INFOGRAPHIC

Age-by-Age Guide to Exercise for Kids with Type 1 Diabetes

Reviewed by Claudia Levi, R.N.
June 04, 2025
Activity for Kids with Type 1 Diabetes Kids with type 1 diabetes can move, play, and participate in sports just like any other child. In fact, your child can gain a variety of physical and emotional benefits from exercise. Helps insulin work more effectively Helps boost energy and endurance Can foster social connections Can increase their confidence They’ll need your guidance and support to help them stay safe and healthy as they’re active. How to Help Your Child Manage Activity Monitor Their Blood Sugar Kids’ activity is often spontaneous — monitoring is key for understanding how it’s affecting their blood sugar (glucose). Check your child’s blood glucose before, during, and after activity. Target starting glucose should be 150 – 200 mg/dL. If glucose is <100 mg/dL, have them eat 15 g (grams) of fast-acting carbs before activity. Example: ½ cup of orange juice Make sure they always have fast-acting carbs handy. They can begin to learn to manage this on their own. Teach Them to Listen to Their Body Your child should learn to recognize symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). These include: Feeling tired or weak Confusion Feeling shaky or dizzy Being nervous or anxious Nausea Headache Sweating or chills Hunger They should also learn to tell a trusted adult if they notice signs. Encourage Your Child to Find Activities They Enjoy Activity should be age-appropriate and enjoyable. Dance, sports, active play, and fitness classes all have benefits. Communicate with Teachers and Coaches Make sure the adults around your child understand their needs. Coaches should understand how to spot symptoms of high or low blood sugar, know where the diabetes kit is, and when to call for help. A Section 504 Plan can ensure that your child gets support for managing their type 1 diabetes at school and during school activities. Work with the staff at your child’s school to create one. Diabetes To-Go Kit This kit of essentials should go wherever your child goes. Insulin Blood glucose meter, with lancets and test strips Fast-acting carbs, such as glucose tablets or gel Glucagon Healthy snacks Juice or candy Water Consider having your child wear medical alert jewelry or carry a medical alert ID card in case of emergency, too. Age-Specific Tips Infants and Toddlers Encourage free play for your baby to promote crawling, walking, and other movement. Aim for at least 30 minutes of activity daily. Avoid sitting still for more than 1 hour at a time. Always check their glucose before active play. Preschoolers and School-Age Kids School age children should do at least 60 minutes of activity daily. This can include running, climbing, dancing — whatever your child enjoys doing. Offer small carb snacks during extended play. Monitor glucose closely before, during, and after activity. Pre-teens and Teens Kids in adolescence should aim for 60 minutes of daily activity. Ideally, their activity should include a mix of: Aerobic activity: These are activities that get their heart pumping, like swimming or biking. Anaerobic activity: These are movements that require short, intense bursts of activity, such as sprinting and jump roping. Strength training: These are activities that can strengthen muscles, such as bodyweight exercises or yoga. It’s important to stay in regular contact with your child’s healthcare team. They can provide guidance, help fine-tune your child’s plan, and support safe and active living with type 1 diabetes through every stage of growth and development. Sources: Absil, H. and Baudet, L., et al. Benefits of physical activity in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: A systematic review. (2019) Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice. American Diabetes Association. Exercise & Type 1. Retrieved May 1, 2025 American Diabetes Association. Section 504 Plan. Retrieved May 9, 2025 Nemours KidsHealth. (2021) Diabetes To-Go Kit.

For the text version of this infographic, read on:

Activity for Kids with Type 1 Diabetes

Kids with type 1 diabetes can move, play, and participate in sports just like any other child.

In fact, your child can gain a variety of physical and emotional benefits from exercise.

  • Helps insulin work more effectively
  • Helps boost energy and endurance
  • Can foster social connections
  • Can increase their confidence

They’ll need your guidance and support to help them stay safe and healthy as they’re active.

How to Help Your Child Manage Activity

Monitor Their Blood Sugar

Kids’ activity is often spontaneous — monitoring is key for understanding how it’s affecting their blood sugar (glucose).

Check your child’s blood glucose before, during, and after activity.

  • Target starting glucose should be 150 – 200 mg/dL.
  • If glucose is <100 mg/dL, have them eat 15 g (grams) of fast-acting carbs before activity. Example: ½ cup of orange juice

Make sure they always have fast-acting carbs handy. They can begin to learn to manage this on their own.

Teach Them to Listen to Their Body

Your child should learn to recognize symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). These include:

  • Feeling tired or weak
  • Confusion
  • Feeling shaky or dizzy
  • Being nervous or anxious
  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Sweating or chills
  • Hunger

They should also learn to tell a trusted adult if they notice signs.

Encourage Your Child to Find Activities They Enjoy

Activity should be age-appropriate and enjoyable. Dance, sports, active play, and fitness classes all have benefits.

Communicate with Teachers and Coaches

Make sure the adults around your child understand their needs.

  • Coaches should understand how to spot symptoms of high or low blood sugar, know where the diabetes kit is, and when to call for help.
  • A Section 504 Plan can ensure that your child gets support for managing their type 1 diabetes at school and during school activities. Work with the staff at your child’s school to create one.

Diabetes To-Go Kit

This kit of essentials should go wherever your child goes.

  • Insulin
  • Blood glucose meter, with lancets and test strips
  • Fast-acting carbs, such as glucose tablets or gel
  • Glucagon
  • Healthy snacks
  • Juice or candy
  • Water

Consider having your child wear medical alert jewelry or carry a medical alert ID card in case of emergency, too.

Age-Specific Tips

Infants and Toddlers

Encourage free play for your baby to promote crawling, walking, and other movement.

  • Aim for at least 30 minutes of activity daily.
  • Avoid sitting still for more than 1 hour at a time.
  • Always check their glucose before active play.

Preschoolers and School-Age Kids

School age children should do at least 60 minutes of activity daily. This can include running, climbing, dancing — whatever your child enjoys doing.

Offer small carb snacks during extended play.

Monitor glucose closely before, during, and after activity.

Pre-teens and Teens

Kids in adolescence should aim for 60 minutes of daily activity.

Ideally, their activity should include a mix of:

  • Aerobic activity: These are activities that get their heart pumping, like swimming or biking.
  • Anaerobic activity: These are movements that require short, intense bursts of activity, such as sprinting and jump roping.
  • Strength training: These are activities that can strengthen muscles, such as bodyweight exercises or yoga.

It’s important to stay in regular contact with your child’s healthcare team. They can provide guidance, help fine-tune your child’s plan, and support safe and active living with type 1 diabetes through every stage of growth and development.

Sources:

Absil, H. and Baudet, L., et al. Benefits of physical activity in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: A systematic review. (2019) Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice.

American Diabetes Association. Exercise & Type 1. Retrieved May 1, 2025

American Diabetes Association. Section 504 Plan. Retrieved May 9, 2025

Nemours KidsHealth. (2021) Diabetes To-Go Kit.