What comes to mind when you think about your childhood gym class? Run some laps? Do some push ups and sit-ups? Maybe play a game of Kickball or Steal the Bacon? Depending on who you ask, it was either the best part of the day or a complete nightmare.
Well, times have changed. And so too has physical education. It is no longer just a time when “jocks” dominate the rest of the class in whatever sport you happen to be playing that day. It is so much more.
In an age when the internet and video games reign supreme, physical education is a time when kids can learn important lifelong concepts like teamwork and toughness, but most importantly that physical activity is fun! Students learn to work alongside teammates in games like basketball and scooter hockey. They display toughness and grit when practicing challenging exercises like planks, flutter kicks, and backbends.
But perhaps most important, they learn that it is OK to not succeed in their first attempt at something. With practice and determination, they can improve their skills over time and that makes the future success even more worthwhile and meaningful.
Learning to have a positive outlook toward these challenges will surely help them for the adversity of adulthood.
While smartphone apps and video games might offer short-term stimulus and reward for kids (and adults), physical activity takes the cake in long-term benefits. Most people are familiar with a lot of these benefits.
It is no secret that physical activity can help you build muscle, improve cardiovascular function, and maintain a healthy weight. However, some of the lesser-known perks are the most astounding. Study after study has shown that students who receive at least 90 minutes of physical activity per week have higher academic success than those who do not. This success comes across the board in a range of subjects like reading, spelling, mathematics, etc. In addition to higher test scores, physically active students see an improvement in response time, working memory, and creative thinking.
Physical activity is not only for the kiddos. These same benefits are observed in adults. Lifelong physical activity is probably the single most important thing you can do for yourself. And perhaps the best part about it is you don’t have to be the star player on the basketball team or a world class gymnast to receive these benefits. Everyday aerobic activities do the trick.
So toss around a frisbee, take the kids sledding, or just take Fido for a stroll!