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Exercise vital to child’s development during pandemic slowdown


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CLAY COUNTY – The world is in a standstill due to the ongoing pandemic, but it is still important for people to keep moving.

Exercise is a vital part of someone’s physical and psychological health, and this fact is especially true when it comes to children. With that in mind, it is important to make sure your child is engaging in physical activity for at least an hour each day.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, exercise is essential for a child’s development. The organization suggests combining aerobic, muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening exercises to ensure your child grows into a healthy adult.

Aerobic exercises are activities such as running, which improves a person’s cardiovascular system. Muscle-strengthening exercises are activities such as climbing, which builds a person’s muscles. Bone-strengthening exercises are activities such as jumping, which fortifies a person’s bones.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention said that children should do a wide array of physical activities to become confident and comfortable in their motor skills.

Exercises isn’t just good for a child physically though. It also does wonders for a child mentally.

According to Psychology Today, 20 minutes of aerobic exercise each day can reduce anxiety and depression. It also lowers the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes.

In addition to its psychological benefits, exercise also has several social rewards.

When participating in team sports, children learn leadership, cooperation and communication. These are all skills that children can get from structured exercise.

As a pre-school teacher, I make a conscious effort to make sure my students are getting the exercise that they need. Whether it’s during recess or during class, I consistently encourage my students to be physically active.

When making my lesson plans, I regularly include activities that require movement. These activities range from using a hula hoop to doing jumping jacks.

Exercise shouldn’t only take place in school though.

Parents should also do physical activities with their children. This ensures your child has a healthy attachment style while simultaneously making your child a better-rounded person.

By having children do physical activities on a regular basis, you are helping them form lifelong habits that will help them live a healthy lifestyle as an adult.