How Important Is Physical Education For Children?
Physical activity helps kids maintain a healthy weight, strengthens bones and muscles, and even improves heart health. It also allows children to sleep better, and teaches them the importance of a balanced diet.
Exercise enables students to be energetic and strong, which motivates them to take interest in classroom activities. Nurseries and schools across Glasgow & Scotland promote physical education as an important part of the curriculum. Whether it’s a nursery in Bearsden or a high school in the Southside, your child can maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Improved Attention Span
Students are often required to sit in one room for most of the day, and it’s no secret that children can have a short attention span. It’s important to include PE activities that help burn off their extra energy and encourage them to focus on the classroom work at hand.
Harvard shares that incorporating physical activity into learning can improve the child’s ability to think and concentrate, which is beneficial for their academic performance. 10 to 15 minute active breaks in the form of indoor or outdoor play, jumping jacks, or even just a quick stretch will make it much easier for children to pay attention and stay focused in class.
Better Memory
The Chief Medical Officers recommend that children should be engaging in at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day. However, many children are falling far short of this goal, and it is important that schools play a role in increasing their health and fitness levels.
Well-taught PE is a key component in achieving this goal and providing children with the motivation, confidence, knowledge and understanding that they need to engage in regular physical activity throughout their lives. This is known as physical literacy.
Strengthens Muscles
When kids learn to play different sports, they acquire skills that allow them to participate in a variety of activities. Having the ability to try out several types of physical activity helps kids build a fitness mindset and understand that exercise is important for their overall health.
Learning and regularly practicing muscle-strengthening exercises can also help prevent back pain later in life. In addition, it helps children build strong bones and joints that decrease the likelihood of osteoporosis in adulthood.
Increased Confidence
Children who regularly play sports and take part in PE activities have more confidence, which boosts their self-esteem. They also tend to be more disciplined in the classroom and stay focused on their academics. This translates into better grades and results on standardized tests.
Kids who engage in PE classes also learn that their bodies are capable of doing amazing things and they develop a positive body image that helps them maintain a healthy weight and avoid health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, or cancer.
