Child development takes place simultaneously across every domain; the domains all support one another. That means all the elements of your kids’ health are connected – their physical health is a part of their mental health and vice versa.
You can download this resource HERE.
Physical Activity & Mental Health
There is no part of the body that doesn’t benefit from physical activity!
- When kids get 60 minutes of play (doing moderate to vigorous activity) every day, feelings of anxiety, depression, stress, and psychological distress can all improve.
- Physical activity can also promote higher levels of a positive self-image, life satisfaction, and psychological well-being both at the present time and over an extended period.
- Exercise is linked to better thinking skills, including the set of skills used for learning, solving problems, and self-control.
- In the short term, regular physical activity can improve behavior and attention skills. In the long term, active kids have better academic performance, on average.
4 Simple Ways to Get Moving
- Make reading a physical activity by imitating the movements of the characters in the story: waddle like a duck, chase a ball like a dog, dance and twirl, go on a treasure hunt, etc.
- Move as a family by adding a daily walk into your evening routine.
- Make the weather an experience: run through puddles; build a snowman; rake leaves into piles to jump in; go on a tour of the parks in your town.
- Find the hook: exercise should be fun! Find activities your kids will be most interested in or most likely to enjoy and build from there.