The Social-Emotional, Cognitive and Physical Benefits of Physical Activity
The social-emotional, cognitive and physical benefits of physical activity
During childhood our body and mind changes very fast. I believe that nowadays parents focus more on the brain developement of their children than their physical activity. When I was a little girl - over 20 years ago - we spent most of our time outside playing, running and enjoying fresh air and being in movement. Physical activity of children can secure them health and well being in their adulthood as well as teach them a lot of very importants aspects like social relations and behaviors in different situations.
Now I see that a lot of children spend their time at home or at after school activities that don’t involve a lot of movement. According to Child Development and Education “a series of studies shows that reductions in physical education are not associated with increase in academic achievement”. It is important to teach a children how to play piano or improve their mathematical skills but we should also remember how important is a physical activity in their development. Also as Child Development and Education states: “One of the problems is that adults tend to want children to remain still and quiet, particularly in groups, whereas many children prefer more rambunctious activities.”
According to The Journal of Pediatrics physical activities of children vary with age, type of exercise, and setting. Physical activity begins in infancy with pushing up, turning, crawling, and eventually walking, and it progresses to more complex activities as neuromuscular control develops. Basic movement patterns develop during preschool ages and are the foundation for a wide range of physical activities at later ages. With growth, maturation, and experience, basic movements are integrated and coordinated into more specialized and complex movement skills that characterize the free play, games, sports, and other activities of school-age youth. Guided instruction and supervised practice,
During childhood our body and mind changes very fast. I believe that nowadays parents focus more on the brain developement of their children than their physical activity. When I was a little girl - over 20 years ago - we spent most of our time outside playing, running and enjoying fresh air and being in movement. Physical activity of children can secure them health and well being in their adulthood as well as teach them a lot of very importants aspects like social relations and behaviors in different situations.
Now I see that a lot of children spend their time at home or at after school activities that don’t involve a lot of movement. According to Child Development and Education “a series of studies shows that reductions in physical education are not associated with increase in academic achievement”. It is important to teach a children how to play piano or improve their mathematical skills but we should also remember how important is a physical activity in their development. Also as Child Development and Education states: “One of the problems is that adults tend to want children to remain still and quiet, particularly in groups, whereas many children prefer more rambunctious activities.”
According to The Journal of Pediatrics physical activities of children vary with age, type of exercise, and setting. Physical activity begins in infancy with pushing up, turning, crawling, and eventually walking, and it progresses to more complex activities as neuromuscular control develops. Basic movement patterns develop during preschool ages and are the foundation for a wide range of physical activities at later ages. With growth, maturation, and experience, basic movements are integrated and coordinated into more specialized and complex movement skills that characterize the free play, games, sports, and other activities of school-age youth. Guided instruction and supervised practice,
References: McDevitt T. M. Ormord J.E., (2012). Child Development and Education. 5th ed. USA: Pearson, pp. 157-77 WILLIAM B. STRONG, MD, ROBERT M. MALINA, PHD, CAMERON J. R. BLIMKIE, PHD, STEPHEN R. DANIELS, MD, PHD, RODNEY K. DISHMAN, PHD, BERNARD GUTIN, PHD, ALBERT C. HERGENROEDER, MD, AVIVA MUST, PHD, PATRICIA A. NIXON, PHD,JAMES M. PIVARNIK, PHD, THOMAS ROWLAND, MD, STEWART TROST, PHD, AND FRANCXOIS TRUDEAU, PHD,, (2005). EVIDENCE BASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR SCHOOL-AGE YOUTH. The Journal of Pediatrics. e.g. 32 (e.g. 2), pp.732-7 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for school and community programs to promote lifelong physical activity among young people. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 1997;46(RR-6):1–36