Importance of Physical Activities for Children

With the rapid growth of the influence of technology, our lives, including those of our children are at risk of getting more and more sedate. It is imperative for us, as parents, to monitor the amount of average time that our kids spend on doing physical activities. In my view, physical activity plays a very important role in the overall development of the child.

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Early childhood (up to the age of 5 years) is the ideal time to instigate healthy lifestyle habits which get carried forward to the rest of their lives. Young kids are bubbling with energy and it is very important that we channel their energy properly. Here are some ideas to encourage our kids to take up physical activities:

1) Encourage the child to go outdoors and play. Try joint activities. Set aside a time for outdoor activities and stick to it.

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2) Innovate with the available options for the activities. Mix up the schedule with the things which your child loves to do. Enrol them for courses of swimming, skating or maybe even dancing; as per their choice. If they like playing sports, try and encourage them play outdoors, rather than on their play stations!

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3) Limit the time they spend on inactive pursuits at home, including watching television. It is ideal that we educate them why we are doing it, so that they don’t feel that they are getting punished.


Once the kids get used to the habit of regular physical activity, they would start loving it, and maybe demand more of it. That’s what needs to be encouraged further, considering the fact that they offer a wide range of benefits, such as:
1) Helping the kid to maintain a good health with strong muscles, bones and joints. Good physical development in some ways also helps a good mental development as well, which would enhance their learning skills at school.
2) Providing the kids with an opportunity to mingle socially and make new friends. This also indirectly shall enhance their self-confidence.

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3) Avoiding the negative impacts which the kids may get associated with if their lifestyle is inactive, such as obesity, depression and increased anxiety.
4) Missing less of their school sessions.

We need to ensure that the activities are integrated as part of their normal routine. After all, they help in creating a positive impact on developing healthier social, cognitive and emotional skills in the children.


#play
#enjoying
#socializing
#exercise

%parent101