5 Other Reasons to Encourage Your Kids to Be Active
Spring has arrived and between the nearby recreational facilities and green areas of Parkhill Place, there are plenty of opportunities to get your family outside and get active. In addition to physical fitness, here are some of the additional benefits of encouraging your kids to lead active lifestyles:
Active kids learn better: The Active Living Research unit at the University of California, San Diego conducted several studies indicating that children who were active for 20 minutes before testing achieved better scores in reading, math and spelling. Over a three-year period, children who continued to participate in daily physical activity performed 6% better on standardised tests than children who did not.
It’s a good way to make friends: Playing a sport or participating in an outdoor activity together is a great way for kids to learn about teamwork and forge friendships through shared experiences.
They can learn new skills: Confidence comes from having faith in one’s abilities and what better way to develop these than by trying new things and working with new skills.
They can develop new interests: Not everyone can be good everything and we all certainly have our preferences. Registering your kids in different activities is a great way for them to find out where their interests lie.
Families that play together, stay together: Active living isn’t just for your kids – you can participate too. Family hikes, bike rides or even a casual soccer game are a great way to bond and spend some quality time together.