# Why are children so energetic? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 5, 2007, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638 "2007-03-05T05:06:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Quasimodal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/57b2e6/32.png) [@Quasimodal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodal)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/21 "2007-03-05T19:05:56Z")
I’ve pondered this as well, and I have figured that at least young adults can be as energetic as children. Lately I’ve been eating healthy, meeting social needs, and doing lots of runnning. Sometimes I can barely contain my energy level. I think adults do themselves in through lethargic lifestyles. I’m also a teacher who spends ALOT of time his feet. I teach at four schools so theres lots of physicality to my job. Keeps me energized! ---
**Author:** ![Slypork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@Slypork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slypork)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/22 "2007-03-05T20:06:35Z")
Children are so energetic because they are energy leeches. They suck the energy out of their parents and keep going while mom and dad collapse on the couch. Most of the energy is used up in motion (running, jumping, playing) but a good portion is converted to sonic form (screaming, yelling, talking, questioning). If we could make treadmills entertaining for kids, we would have the ultimate renewable energy source. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/23 "2007-03-05T20:17:03Z")
People are dancing around some apparent physiological reasons sure to be afoot. I was waiting for a doctor or other health professional to jump in and respond. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/24 "2007-03-05T20:17:43Z")
Lots of young mammals are this way. I’d almost say “all” except that I’m sure there are sloths somewhere who don’t romp about. Whether it’s prey or predator, a young mammal had best practice all possible body moves, and had best exercise to build those muscles and coordination skills. The ones who don’t will be the first to either fail to escape the predator or fail to catch the prey. It also doesn’t matter as much if they are inefficient and tire out sooner, since during this phase there is probably a parent providing a good deal of their food. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/25 "2007-03-05T20:32:28Z")
[QUOTE=erie774] Children are so energetic because they are energy leeches. They suck the energy out of their parents. [/QUOTE] ::applauds wildly:: ---
**Author:** ![Slypork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@Slypork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slypork)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/26 "2007-03-05T20:40:22Z")
[QUOTE=fessie] ::applauds wildly:: [/QUOTE] Obviously, you either have kids or hang around them enough to know this is true. If people had energy meters attached to them, you would see normal adult energy levels decrease in a steady way throughout the day. Kid levels decrease but at a slower rate. When an adult is in the presence of kids, especially any kid younger than 10 you will see the adult level drop dramatically and the kid level stabilize. One day I couldn’t get moving in the morning so I connected the jumper cables between me and my kid. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![groman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@groman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groman)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/27 "2007-03-05T20:43:40Z")
[QUOTE=bordelond] People are dancing around some apparent physiological reasons sure to be afoot. I was waiting for a doctor or other health professional to jump in and respond. [/QUOTE] I am not a doctor, but I still stand by my claim that doing all that crap when you weigh 50lbs and have short limbs, is an order of magnitude easier than when you weigh 200lbs and tower at close to 6’. Even the heart, which needs to run faster, needs to do less work (no cite) with a child - less blood, not too far to pump. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/28 "2007-03-05T20:52:12Z")
I think in part activity breeds energy which in turn breeds more activity. people who exercise regularly (not me) say that they feel more energized after a workout. Kids sort of work themselves up to a frenzy. You can see them gettig more and more wound up until something has to give. And since they’re more fit, and eat more calories (per pound) than adults, they have more energy. Also, kids tend to get more sleep. You put a 5 year0-old to bet at 7:30 and they sleep for 12 hours, storing the energy to do it all again. StG ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/29 "2007-03-05T20:53:11Z")
If I had a team of people providing me with good food, clean clothes, adequate sleep, stimulating toys, creative opportunities, exercise, and plenty of positive reinforcement, I’d have lots of energy, too. I poop on the potty _every single time_ – do I ever get any applause? ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/30 "2007-03-05T21:33:27Z")
Ah, sorry, it was probably that Jumbo Pixie stick I gave her. (Adults: Every try eating like four of those in a row? You’ll gain your childhood energy back… albeit briefly) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/31 "2007-03-05T21:45:14Z")
[QUOTE=MLS] Lots of young mammals are this way. I’d almost say “all” except that I’m sure there are sloths somewhere who don’t romp about. [/QUOTE] Sloths romp – but you need to use time-lapse photography to discern it. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/32 "2007-03-05T23:15:05Z")
[QUOTE=erie774] If we could make treadmills entertaining for kids, we would have the ultimate renewable energy source. [/QUOTE] I’ve thought more than once of hooking a generator to a sit-n-spin to get back some of the energy that goes into a child. The low body mass argument seems most likely to me. The aforementioned pixie stick will have a much greater effect on a 50 pound person than a 180 pounder. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2007, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/33 "2007-03-05T23:38:22Z")
[They are curious and they don’t know any better](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6155755). ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/34 "2007-03-06T00:06:14Z")
[QUOTE=Gangster Octopus] [They are curious and they don’t know any better](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6155755). [/QUOTE] Good link – thanks. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/35 "2007-03-06T01:39:40Z")
Although its only been touched upon here, among the many snarky answers listed the most accurate is that smaller creatures are more energy-efficient. Even eating less, they can store and consume much more energy and maintain themselves at a higher rate. Then they eat more and take a nap and are ready to do it all over again. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/36 "2007-03-06T14:32:46Z")
[QUOTE=smiling bandit] Although its only been touched upon here, among the many snarky answers listed the most accurate is that smaller creatures are more energy-efficient. Even eating less, they can store and consume much more energy and maintain themselves at a higher rate. Then they eat more and take a nap and are ready to do it all over again. [/QUOTE] This is a broad way of looking at it. But here’s the thing – smaller creatures age, too. Let’s use Yorkshire Terrier as an example. As a puppy, loads of energy. As a young adult dog, still lots of energy. At 12 years old, content to lay around the house all day. Now, that 12-year-old Yorkie is a lot smaller than a 3-year-old human child. So where’s that puppyhood energy? What is different physiologically between the old and the young, especially as concerns metabolism and the like? Is it as simple as saying “the young haven’t aged yet”? And if so, what’s going on biochemically? ---
**Author:** ![Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bag_of_mostly_water/32/1029_2.png) [@Bag\_of\_Mostly\_Water](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bag_of_Mostly_Water)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/37 "2007-03-06T15:22:36Z")
No one has yet brought up one obvious fact – smaller creatures have a much higher surface to volume ratio. A child will loose heat much faster than an adult. They need more energy per body weight to keep their body warm. So, a child will have higher metabolism than an adult. As mentioned above, they also are much lighter than adults. So moving, jumping, dancing, etc. takes much less energy. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2007, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/38 "2007-03-06T21:39:56Z")
[QUOTE=fessie] If I had a team of people providing me with good food, clean clothes, adequate sleep, stimulating toys, creative opportunities, exercise, and plenty of positive reinforcement, I’d have lots of energy, too. I poop on the potty _every single time_ – do I ever get any applause? [/QUOTE] I tried sending you a PM but the hamsters went on vacation. Congratulations, anyway. We’re all so proud of you. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2007, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638/39 "2007-03-07T00:20:06Z")
[QUOTE=JohnT] I tried sending you a PM but the hamsters went on vacation. Congratulations, anyway. We’re all so proud of you. [/QUOTE] Bwahahaha!!! ROF,LMAO! I really needed that, thanks! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-children-so-energetic/394638.md?page=1)