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It
used to be that the biggest decision kids had to make was whether to spend the
afternoon playing kickball or mastering the monkey bars at the local playground.
But
everyone seems to have less free time these days, including young children.
Higher academic expectations are forcing teachers to squeeze more instructional
time out of each school day – often at the expense of recess. Then there’s
homework to fit in around all those after-school lessons and activities that
strain family time and keep parents chauffeuring children and running errands
well into the night. There’s nothing inherently “wrong” in any of this,
but the net effect is that kids today have much less time to simply run, jump
and basically let loose each day.
And
when “down time” is found, more and more kids opt for sedentary
activities, such as watching a video or playing a video game. Increasingly,
experts in the fields of education and medicine are questioning whether the lack
of play time is good for children. Many believe that a steady diet of television
and computers is a prime reason for declining health in children.
Inactivity is considered a major risk
factor for heart disease and the rising rate of obesity among people of all
ages. According the federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 15
percent of (almost 9 million) children and teens ages 6 to 19 are overweight,
triple the number of such children in 1980.
One quarter of children ages 5 to 10 show early signs of heart disease,
such as elevated blood cholesterol or high blood pressure.
Let
the children play
Recess
and free play provide children with valuable time to stretch, bend and release
pent-up energy. Through this freedom, children learn to enjoy movement for its
own sake. It allows them to practice cooperation, respect for rules, taking
turns, sharing, using language to communicate and solving problems in real life
situations—all important skills that can help them get along better in the
classroom and with family and friends.
When
they spend time moving and exploring outdoors, kids also begin to develop the
same types of investigative skills that will help them when tackling subjects
such as science and math.
Family
fitness: Building strong bodies and strong minds
Physically
active children have a greater chance of being healthy for life. They are also
more likely to do better in school. According
to a study published in the Journal of School Health, physically active children
also show increased concentration, improved mathematics, reading and writing
test scores and reduced disruptive behaviors. Regular physical activity also
helps ensure the strength and physical development children need to hold a
pencil properly and form letters and numbers, hold their heads and bodies
upright for lengths of time and make proper eye contact with teachers as they
learn.
The
National Academies’ Institute of Medicine recommends that children and adults
participate in at least one hour of moderately intense exercise daily. Although
important, the two to three physical education classes most children take part
in at school each week are only a portion of what they need. Children should be
encouraged to be active outside of school every day. While busy schedules,
limitations of open space and safety concerns may make this recommendation
difficult to achieve, there are some easy ways for you and your children to fit
in fitness. Here are some ideas to try:
- Play
together.
Children whose parents are physically active are much more likely to develop
healthy attitudes toward being active themselves. Not only are you a
positive role model for activity (and getting some exercise to boot!), you
can be more assured that your children will be safe as they play.
- Encourage
your children to try a variety of activities.
Organized
sports and games are not for everyone. Singular activities such as walking,
bike riding and running around the backyard or playground with friends are
also wonderful ways to stay fit.
- Break
activity down into manageable chunks.
Unlike adults, kids are not as tied into the limitations of time. So you
only have 10 minutes before you need to start dinner? That’s time enough
for a brisk walk around the block or a quick game of catch. Take the stairs
rather than the elevator on the way up to the dentist’s office. With
younger children, whose attention spans and stamina can be limited, it is
sometimes better to piece together many activities that take short amounts
of time rather than one hour-long activity.
- Tap
into children’s interests. Take
a nature hike to look for signs of spring with your budding scientists.
Encourage your children’s dramatic and expressive sides by dancing to
different types of music or using your bodies to act out a favorite story or
song. Sneak in some math by
using a stopwatch to time how fast they can travel a set distance on foot or
by bike.
- Teach
your children to play the active games you enjoyed as a child.
Rhonda Clements, president of the American Association of the
Child’s Right to Play, says that when she asks parents to recall their
favorite childhood activities, most are memories of active games that they
played outdoors. When you take the time to teach your children what you
liked to do as a child, you are encouraging their physical fitness and
teaching about family history.
- Limit
your children’s combined television and computer game time (including toys
like Game Boys) to 1 to 1 1/2 hours daily.
Watching
television, using computers and playing video games limits the amount of
time children might otherwise spend with physical activity and sports.
If time is tight, consider a school-week ban on these activities to
help make room for more physical pursuits.
Did
you know?
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The
obesity rate for children in the 1960s was about 4%. Today that rate is
almost 25% in children and estimated at more than 50% in adults.
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Daily
physical activity for children helps build and maintain healthy bones,
muscles and joints; helps to control weight, build lean muscle, and reduce
fat; [prevents or delays the development of high blood pressure; and reduces
feelings of depression and anxiety. All of this can help increase children's
ability to learn.
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Capital Region BOCES Communications Service at (518)
464-3960.
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