The Importance Of Physical Activities On Children’s Health And Development
Something that keeps our bodies healthy and strong, as well as help improve our mental health is physical activity. And that is also the same when it comes to children and their development. Keeping your child physically active is the best way to improve their sleep, energy levels as well as focus, and school performance. It will teach them to have a positive body image and have a better relationship with both themselves and the world around them. Physical Activities
Physical Growth
Just like eating healthy food, making sure your child is physically active is fundamental to their further development. By teaching them to be physically active they will build stronger bones as well as muscles which will be a stimulus for their bodies to grow. When they are physically active from a young age, they will have a lower risk of developing any bone-related diseases later on.
Better Fitness
Being physically active will prepare your child to be able to walk longer distances without getting tired as well as having enough strings to do their daily tasks as well as teaching them to have a work ethic.
Better Posture
A very common problem that children who aren’t physically active is slouching and having a bad posture overall. Being physically active will help them increase their spine and core strength which will result in better posture. Slouching from a young age will cause a lot of issues down the road.
Refinement Of Motor Skills
For kids that are younger, being physically active during their playtime will help them develop their motor skills which are skills that will help them master the basic movements that they will need for everyday life. Motor skills are feeding themselves, writing as well as tying their shoelaces.
Weight Management
There is nothing that will help your child manage their weight and burn calories other than being physically active. Even though a child shouldn’t worry about their physical appearance and weight they should be taught that being physically active means that they will have a healthy body. Make sure that you are mindful that they are a child because you don’t want them to develop any unhealthy obsessions about their appearance from a young age.
Maintaining Their Cardiovascular Health
We live at a time when people think kids who are a bit overweight are cute, but having extra fat when you are a child means that you are increasing their chances of developing many diseases. Some of those are type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases as well as having high cholesterol at a young age.
Cognitive Development
Being physically active doesn’t have to mean getting buff, especially when you are a child. It will help them with brain development. When they are exercising, their nerve cells will be triggered and create new connections. It will improve their concentration and have better memory which is something that all kids need.
Better Mental Health
Even though sometimes kids will dread it when they have to be physically active, the act of exercising itself will help them with their mental health. Being physically active will help them get rid of any stress and anxiety they might have. It will make both of you happier.
Improved Self-esteem
As we have mentioned above, your kid shouldn’t worry about how they look and have it alter their mood, but being physically active will boost their self-esteem no matter what. It will not only improve their self-esteem appearance wise but it will also boost their ego if they are good at it as well as being able to be a part of a social group.
Social Skills Development
When your kid is physically active it will not only make them healthier but it will also help them develop better social skills. The best way to help them with their social skills is to get them into team sports. There they will be able to learn about reading non-verbal cues, adopting leadership roles as well as being a team player. It will leave a big statement on their long-term mental health. Even if you don’t think that they are good at that particular sport, if they are enjoying doing it and they are developing their social skills amongst all others don’t stop them from doing it.
Reduced Anxiety
What a lot of parents choose to ignore is that their kid is struggling with anxiety. Kids who are struggling with anxiety should be physically active because they will be focusing on the activity that they are doing instead of what’s bothering them. It will not only give them away to go but it will also give them a sense of accomplishment. If your child is showing severe signs of anxiety make sure you take them to a doctor.
Better Brain Function
As we have mentioned, being physically active plays a big role when it comes to improving motor skills. But that is not the only thing it helps develop their brains and it supports essential mental functions. Keeping them physically active will help their hand-eye coordination, problem-solving, focus as well as learn better and faster. They will all benefit from their performance at school. It can be something as simple as buying them quality kids bikes if you are not comfortable with signing them up for a sport. Physical Activities
It Strengthens The Heart
As we all know the heart is a muscle, so just like any other muscle in your body, it needs to be challenged by exercising. The heart’s response to exercising is becoming stronger and efficient. When you are having your child be physically active you are helping them strengthen their heart which will lower the chances of developing any heart diseases.
It Helps Keep Arteries And Veins Healthy
Having your kids be physically active will reduce the amount of cholesterol and fats in their blood. Therefore, it will increase the flexibility of their blood vessels and lower their blood pressure. It will reduce their chances of having a stroke or a heart attack when they are older.
It Will Help Them Prevent Cancer
Those who have been physically active have a lower chance of getting cancer down the road. Even though there is nothing that you can do that will ensure that your child won’t develop cancer at one point in their life, having them physically active will lower the risk.
Incorporating Games To Make Exercise Fun
The best way to ensure that your child is getting enough physical activity is to simply make the exercise fun. Kids learn best through playing and having fun, so why not make it into a game. They don’t need to be any real or competitive games in order to get them to be active. It can be something as simple as who will run faster to the laundry bin and put the shirt into it.
The most important thing is to make sure that they are being active for health reasons and that why don’t create obsessions. Yes, they are less likely to develop unhealthy habits if they are being physically active but being overly active can also cause them to obsess over how they look even when they are very young. As a parent, you need to balance them with balance. Physical Activities
