10 Great Reasons Children Should Exercise – Checklist.

I’m off to appear in my friend Action Amanda’s video talking about the importance of getting children active through dancing tomorrow.

It’s an important subject, as the obesity epidemic among children aged between 6-19 has almost quadrupled from what it was in the late 1960s.

From the ‘cotton wool kids generation’ of children not being allowed to play outside, to passive iPad and tablet overuse, children are not getting enough exercise.

So encouraging healthy physical  activity will not only help today’s children by preventing them from becoming obese, or helping them to lose weight if  they need to, it will also teach them healthy habits from an early age that will make a real difference in their lives long term.

Here are some reasons why exercise is important.

Children who exercise are more likely to keep exercising as an adult.

Exercise helps kids achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.

Regular physical activity helps build and maintain strong, healthy muscles, bones and joints.

Exercise aids in the development of important interpersonal skills, particularly if they play team sports.

Exercise improves the quantity and quality of sleep.

Research shows that exercise promotes improved school attendance and enhances academic performance.

Kids who exercise have greater self-esteem and better self-images.

Participating in regular physical activity prevents or delays the development of many chronic diseases (e.g., heart disease, diabetes, obesity, hypertension) and promotes health.

Children who are active report fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression and a better overall mood.

Exercise helps improve motor coordination and enhances the development of various motor skills.

So what can you do this week to have fun being active with your kids – walk to school one day a week, ride a bike in the park together, bounce on a trampoline, have a technology free day and do something active instead, stick on some music and just dance around the kitchen table singing at the tops of your voices?

Let me know by posting on the bottom of this blog and look out, share with friends and listen to my ‘Sue Atkins Parenting Show’ podcast where I’ll be discussing fun ways to incorporate exercise easily and naturally into your lives.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sue-atkins-parenting-show/id1194059811?mt=2