Can kids go to the gym to work out? Experts reveal age limits, benefits and potential drawbacks

As Elle Woods famously said in Legally Blonde, "Exercise gives you endorphins - and endorphins make you happy." According to science, she's absolutely right. Endorphins are crucial to maintaining mental health, which is why exercise - even if it's just a walk around the block - is often considered a cure for anxiety and depression. But when are kids allowed to work out in the gym?

Today's youth are experiencing unprecedented mental health challenges. The global pandemic brings with it a myriad of triggers for anxiety and depression, including isolation, trauma, and academic and social stress. In an era where mass shootings-especially in schools, wars, political tensions and other events-are making headlines, it's no wonder we're looking for anything but the stress of growing up to help our kids cope in a healthy way.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC reported that 36 percent of adolescents experienced "persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness" in 2019. Since that year, that number has only increased and is now closer to 50%.

Over the past two decades, research has found that exercise is the key to fighting obesity and mental health problems, no matter your age. "Aerobic exercise, including jogging, swimming, biking, walking, gardening and dancing, has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression …… by improving self-esteem and cognitive function," a 2006 study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry reported.

Schools, especially elementary and middle schools, keep kids active through playground breaks and physical education classes and organized athletics in the upper grades. But what happens in the summer is that it's hot outside, the lure of video games, unlimited snack opportunities, comfortable couches and air conditioning are intense.

In early May, Planet Fitness launched its High School Summer Pass, which allows any high school student between the ages of 14 and 19 to work out for free at any of its more than 2,200 locations in the U.S. and Canada through Aug. 31.

But can even young kids benefit from a gym workout, rather than just physical activity through play?

Dr. Randon Hall, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine, concussion and fracture management at Phoenix Children's Hospital, says that while children's skeletal systems are still developing, all types of exercise - including "formal" strength training --have excellent benefits for physical and mental health.

"The primary goal of resistance training is to gain strength, but it also helps develop motor skills, speed and power, and develop functional movement for all sports," he said. "It can also help reduce the risk of injury," a top concern for kids who participate in organized sports or work out in the gym. Dr. Hall also said he likes to use strength training as an alternative to running or team sports, which may not be as appealing to some kids, especially during the hot summer months.

Claudia Moya, mother of 8-year-old Sophia, says she and her daughter "used to walk around the neighborhood, but as summer approaches, the heat is the main reason Sophia asks to go to the gym."

"It's great to spend time with her," she adds, "and we usually go out for breakfast afterward, which is a wonderful, wonderful time."

However, Dr. Hall notes that gym equipment is designed for adults, so proper supervision and safe use are key to ensuring your child's safety. Instead of using weightlifting equipment, he recommends bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, free weights and medicine balls as an entry point for kids to begin a gym-based exercise program.

Tim Liu, a physical therapist with Stanford Children's Health Palo Alto, California, says the "right age" for a child or teen to start going to the gym varies. "If a child shows a genuine interest in going to the gym and building strength, then there's nothing in the study that tells us that it's bad for young people to [exercise] in the gym," he says.

In addition to the benefits Dr. Hall noted, Liu said kids can benefit from resistance training by increasing metabolic health, increasing cardiovascular health, improving bone density (which is especially beneficial for young women) and reducing the risk of chronic disease.

Boutique fitness studios, including yoga studios, are also easing restrictions on classes for children, as the benefits of yoga, stretching, positive thinking and meditation are well documented, even for children as young as 3 or 4 years old.

Katie Donzanti, who owns and operates The Peaceful Peacock Yoga Studio in Orlando, Florida, encourages her 5-year-old to attend yoga and meditation classes with her whenever possible. At her studio, she says she allows children as young as 8 to participate in class as long as they "sit comfortably still and remain quiet for most of the class," she says. "I always tell parents that they are the best judges of when their child is ready to participate."

If you're not sure if your child is ready, it's also helpful to find a gym or studio that offers family-friendly exercise classes that provide a more casual and safe space to sit still, move around or ask questions in class.

"I think it's important to expose kids to self-care, exercise and proper gym etiquette, while shaping positive thoughts in a gym or a healthy space like a yoga studio," Donzanti says. "Personally, I take my 5-year-old to my gym and she has a set of prescribed activities that she is allowed to do and enjoys being a contributor to the gym community."

Regardless of age, all agree that keeping children active - no matter what - is essential, especially during the summer months when children are out of school and less exposed to organized physical education and athletics.

This American Academy of Pediatrics recommends three full hours of physical activity a day for children ages 3 to 5 and 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity most days of the week when they reach age 6 and older. But like most activities, keeping children interested means making sure they're having fun.

We want [children] to be active in a variety of activities," Liu says. With younger children, we may see better engagement and participation if these activities are done in an environment where fun is the primary focus. Enjoy the activities."