Benefits of Exercise in Children

v  Helps Control Blood Pressure

v  Helps Control cholesterol

v  Decrease the Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes

v  Helps Kids Have a Better Outlook on Life

v  Sleep Better

v  Handle Life Challenges Better

v  Helps Kids Test Better

v  Helps Improve the Immune System

v  Strengthens the Heart and Lungs, and the Rest of the Cardiovascular System

v  Helps in the Prevention of Heart Disease

v  Better Control Over Body Fat

v  Stronger Bones

v  Stronger Muscles

v  Better Transportation of Nutrients to the Body’s Cells

v  Helps Them Feel More Energized (Gets Rid of that Sluggish Feeling)

v  Helps the Body Eliminate the Toxins

v  Helps Boost Metabolism

v  Improves Memory

v  Increases the Release of Beneficial Hormones

v  Helps Improve Concentration

v  Decreases Anxiety

v  Reduces Depression

v  Helps Develop Self-Esteem

v  Helps Develop Confidence

v  Helps Develop Social Skills (Leadership and Empathy)

v  Improves Reflexes

v  Improves Coordination

v  Helps Improves Grades

Exercise and Children

There is a lot to benefit from exercising. From being physically fit it also helps control blood pressure, cholesterol, decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and helps kids have a better outlook on life itself. Studies have proven that kids who are physically fit sleep better at night and are able to handle challenges in life, both physical and emotional. It even helps them test better. Right now with my excited two year old my favorite has to be the sleeping better. If I get Thomas out and about during the day he will sleep through the night no problem.

There are three elements of fitness:

Endurance
Strength
Flexibility

Endurance is when the heart beats faster and you breathe harder. This is developed through aerobic exercises – like playing tag or hoola hooping. When done regularly it helps strengthen the heart and approve the body’s ability to deliver oxygen to all its cells. Strength training of course strengthens muscles and tones the body. A lot of muscles are easier to develop during childhood then they are during adulthood, such as the fine motor skills. Flexibility is developed when kids so much as stretch to get a toy just out of reach. And in my personal experience it really helps your body relax.

Toddler       à 1 ½ hours minimum daily activity à 30 minutes planned daily physical activity AND 60     minutes unstructured physical activity (free play)

Preschooler   à 2 hours minimum daily activity à 60 minutes planned daily activity AND 60 minutes unstructured physical activity (free play)

School Age à 1 hour or more minimum daily activity à Broken up into bouts of 15 minutes or more

 

According to this chart of activity from the National Association for sport and physical education (NASPE)… I over exercise my child. I’ve never had a “structured” amount of exercise; I just play games like tag and follow the leader, or chase our birds around the yard. But maybe going for a walk would classify as structured activity for him. We go for a walk on a regular basis, especially when he just can’t get calmed down and we are nearing bedtime.

Ways to Sneak in Exercise

I’m always trying to think of new ways to get Thomas up and moving. Since he is part Lakota there is a higher chance of him developing childhood obesity/diabetes.  I’m a pretty firm believer that exercise will help prevent this. Especially since I still let him eat sugary treats. That and there are all sorts of good benefits from exercise. My favorite is probably the fact that he goes to sleep easier and sleeps better if I help him run off all that pempted up energy.

1)      The newest way I have found is letting him chase our geese and ducks. They can’t fly or anything yet, but they run away from him. At least they did at first now they’re a little more used to him and just kind of quickly walk away in another direction. But even if they do that then he just sort of runs a circle around them – all while giggling.

2)      Kicking a ball around the yard. My sister and I will actually kick it and then he will run after it picks it up and play a sort of keep away with us. Put it down and kick it himself. He really gets into it if you pretend run up to the ball with him and let him get to it just before you reach it yourself.

3)      Follow the leader. If he doesn’t get to be the leader then it’s a good source of exercise. If he does then you mostly just walk around in a circle. But if I lead and he follows then I can get him to scream, shake his butt, jump around, and run in a circle…or whatever comes to mind at that moment.

4)      Yoga – I love doing yoga. It gets all of my ache – y bones stretched out and feeling better. And after Thomas seeing me do it, now he tries to mimic the movements. I really should record it while it’s still cute.

5)      Dancing – Play some music (preferably what I want to listen to) and dance around to it.

6)      Swimming – I put him in a life jacket and a toddler floating chair type of thing, and let him kick his legs around to chase me or my sister around. He giggles and “swims” and wears himself out. Sometimes we take him out of the floater and we’ve been working on learning to swim.