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Parent Corner for Parents of
Elementary School
Students
Get moving! Physical
education in and out of school
Physical education has taken its place alongside
more traditional elementary school academics like reading,
writing and math—and with good reason. Research shows that
physically active children have a greater chance of being
healthy for life. They are also more likely to do well in
school.
Elementary physical education—building strong bodies and minds
Today, the goal of school-based physical education is to tune
into the abilities and interests of all children, including
those with special needs. Through the physical education
curriculum, children are introduced to a host of games and
physical activities that will not only help them become better
learners, but can spark a life-long desire to remain physically
active and fit.
Children also learn about the benefits of the exercise they are
performing (e.g., cardiovascular health, stress management,
maintaining a healthy weight, muscle strength, endurance and
flexibility), sportsmanship and cooperation, how to exercise
safely and how to make healthy food choices.
Physically active children have the strength and physical
development they need to hold a pencil properly and form letters
and numbers, hold their heads and bodies upright for lengths of
time and to make proper eye contact with teachers as they learn.
According to a study published in the Journal of School Health,
physically active children also show increased concentration,
improved test scores in mathematics, reading and writing and
fewer disruptive behaviors.
Making fitness a family affair
The National Academies’ Institute of Medicine recommends that
children and adults participate in at least one hour of
moderately intense exercise daily. Though 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, too—you can be 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. Use the 10 minutes you
have before starting dinner 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 winter nature hike 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.
Play the active games you enjoyed as a child with your
family. Teaching your children what you liked to do as a
child will encourage their physical fitness while also
teaching about family history.
-
Limit children’s
combined television, computer and game time
(including toys such as Game Boys and Xbox) to one to 1-1/2
hours daily. Watching television, using computers and
playing video games limit 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.
Walking in a winter wonderland
Although the weather outside can be frightful this time of year,
it doesn’t mean fitness needs to hibernate until spring.
Shoveling the sidewalk and pushing snowballs to make a snowman
are great aerobic activities and help develop muscle strength
and problem solving abilities. Sledding and scaling piles of
snow are low-tech winter activities that get children breathing
fresh air and exercising their bodies.
When setting out on winter adventures, make sure you and your
children dress in layers of warm clothes and wear boots, scarves
and hats.
Also, bring along snacks if you plan to be outdoors for a length
of time-children burn calories faster when playing outside in
cold temperatures.
For ideas on what to do outside this winter (and what you can
do inside when the weather is truly too miserable), check the
following books and Web sites:
For permission to reprint this article, please
contact the Capital Region BOCES Communications Service by e-mail us at
dbushsuf@gw.neric.org.
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