More and more, we hear about the benefits of exercise for children. Staying active can help prevent childhood obesity, for instance, and ward off future chronic diseases. But exercise is important for children for other reasons too. Aside from the many physical gains that come with keeping kids active, research continues to underscore another key premise: The more a child moves, the sharper he or she tends to be. By participating in regular physical activity, a child will have better concentration, improved memory, greater mental performance and likely more academic achievements.
To quote the “Legally Blonde” character Elle Woods, “Exercise gives you endorphins; endorphins make you happy.” The hormones also help fight stress and anxiety that children can experience at a young age. A happy child is a healthy child, and a child who is feeling strong is usually feeling confident.
A child doesn’t have to be a soccer star or an award-winning athlete to feel the brain-boosting benefits of physical activity. Everyday activities like walking and playing on the playground can do the trick. Here are a few keep-it-fun-but-keep-it-moving ways kids can feel good about themselves — and get smarter with every step:
1. Create obstacles.
Kids love fun, and obstacle courses are a great way to get them motivated and moving. Obstacle courses are easy to set up anytime, anywhere — at home, at the park or on the playground. There are also endless equipment options. Think outside the box and grab some toys in the closet or set up soup cans and old books for a little do-it-yourself circuit. Find built-in stations on a play structure or make your own with a little masking tape or chalk. Themes like “Olympic trials” can help stimulate kids’ imagination and keep them engaged. Make each obstacle fun and challenging, and keep the game going for 20 to 30 minutes.
[See: 6 Dangerous Games Your Kids Should Avoid.]
2. Bring on the buddy system.
Kids love to hang out with their friends, so invite a buddy along for a bike ride, offer to bring a classmate for a walk to the grocery store or head to the track with one of your child’s companions. There are also simple partner activities that kids can enjoy on a play date right at home. Encourage them to grab a friend and go head-to-head, arm-to-arm or leg-to-leg for partner moves — think squats while holding each other’s forearms, partner situps (where children’s toes touch) or wheelbarrows across the floor (just make sure you have enough space!).
[See: The 10 Best Exercises You Can Do for the Rest of Your Life.]
3. Get down to the core.
Having good core strength can help your child maintain good posture at a desk and develop a stable base for gross and fine motor tasks such as holding a pencil or controlling scissors — all benefits that will help improve their performance at school. Encourage your kids to have some fun with animal movements like crab walking — a sort of upward-facing crawl in which they move sideways across the room and back again while holding their bottoms off the ground. Let ’em soar in a superman pose as they lay on their bellies, pick up their arms and legs and pretend to fly. Or, simply find ways for them to run, jump and climb. Enjoy good old-fashioned outdoor play — say, a game of tag that uses a squat or plank pose as “safe base” — as a great way to develop core strength and have lots of fun along the way.
4. Build strength.
Strength exercises can help kids build healthy muscles, joints and bones, and can improve endurance. Plenty of fun after-school and weekend activities can build kids’ strength, whether that’s by hitting the rock climbing wall, taking a martial arts class or swimming. Many moves can be done using one’s own body weight anywhere, anytime. The whole family can even enjoy some together time right at home with activities such as planks or burpees. For planks, simply start by getting into a press-up position, then bend your elbows while resting on your forearms, not your hands. Keep your body in a straight line, engage your core and hold the position. How long? Try reciting the alphabet and see who in the family can get to Z first without lowering down. If you need an extra challenge, try plank jacks or side planks.
[See: 10 Fun Kid Activities for Adult Bodies and Minds.]
5. Set goals.
Setting goals is the first step to achieving them. Your children may already know this when it comes to how many chores they must do to earn allowance or how many minutes they must read each night to earn more free playtime. The same can be done with physical activity and can be a great incentive for children. Set a certain number of steps each day (10,000 is a great start), do 10 squats or five pushups before bed, or start each morning with a 10-minute yoga flow. All of these rituals will add short bouts of physical activity to your day — something from which all family members can benefit. Once you reach your goal, celebrate your success and increase the goal the following week to keep you and your family challenged.
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5 Fun Activities That Can Boost Kids’ Brainpower originally appeared on usnews.com
