The Significance of Engaging in Physical Activities for Children

The modern-day lifestyle of children is mostly centered around technological gadgets and indoor activities that are leading to a sedentary lifestyle. As a result, the health of children is getting adversely affected, and they are becoming more prone to chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Therefore, it is crucial to engage children in physical activities to ensure their holistic development. In this article, we will discuss the significance of engaging in physical activities for children and how Manthena American School keeps children engaged in physical activities.

Some of the significant benefits are:

Enhances Physical Fitness: Physical fitness is a state of well-being and the ability to perform daily activities without undue fatigue. Engaging in  Physical Activities for Children helps in enhancing physical fitness in children. Physical activities are any activities that require physical exertion and energy expenditure, such as running, jumping, swimming, cycling, and playing sports. When children engage in physical activities, they use their muscles, bones, and cardiovascular system, which helps in improving their physical fitness.

There are several components of physical fitness that are enhanced by engaging in Physical Activities for Children. Some of the significant components are:

Muscular Strength: Muscular strength is the ability of muscles to exert force against resistance. Engaging in physical activities like weightlifting, push-ups, and pull-ups helps in improving muscular strength in children.

Muscular Endurance: Muscular endurance is the ability of muscles to sustain repeated contractions without fatigue. Engaging in physical activities like jogging, cycling, and swimming helps in improving muscular endurance in children.

Cardiovascular Endurance: Cardiovascular endurance is the capacity of the heart, lungs, and circulatory system to supply oxygen and nutrients to active muscles while engaging in physical exercise. Engaging in physical activities like running, swimming, and cycling helps in improving cardiovascular endurance in children.

Flexibility: Flexibility is the range of motion of joints. Engaging in physical activities like yoga and stretching helps in improving flexibility in children.

Body Composition: Body composition refers to the proportion of fat, muscle, and bone in the body. Engaging in physical activities helps in reducing the proportion of body fat and increasing the proportion of muscle and bone in children.

Minimized Risk of Obesity and Chronic Diseases: 

Obesity is a medical condition characterized by excessive body fat, which can lead to various health problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Engaging in physical activities can help reduce the risk of obesity and other chronic diseases in children.

Physical activities help in burning calories and maintaining a healthy weight. When children engage in physical activities, they burn calories and use their muscles, which helps in reducing the amount of body fat. Regular physical activities also help in maintaining a healthy weight by balancing the calories consumed with the calories burned.

Obesity is a significant risk factor for many chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Engaging in physical activities can help reduce the risk of these diseases. Regular physical activities improve metabolism, lower blood sugar levels, and reduce the risk of insulin resistance, which is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes. 

Improves Mental Health: 

Engaging in physical activities is not only beneficial for physical health but also for mental health. Physical activities help in improving mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, improving mood, and boosting self-esteem.

Physical activities help in reducing stress and anxiety by reducing the levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. When children engage in physical activities, they release endorphins, which are natural chemicals that improve mood and reduce stress. Physical activities also help in reducing muscle tension, which is a physical symptom of stress.

Physical activities help in improving mood by releasing neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters help in improving mood, increasing feelings of happiness and well-being, and reducing symptoms of depression. 

Enhances Cognitive Development: 

Engaging in physical activities is not only beneficial for physical and mental health but also enhances cognitive development in children. Physical activities help in improving cognitive skills such as attention, memory, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Regular physical activities help in increasing blood flow to the brain, which helps in improving cognitive function. When children engage in physical activities, they use multiple senses, which helps in improving sensory integration and coordination. Engaging in physical activities also helps in improving executive functions such as planning, organizing, and decision-making.

Physical activities help in improving attention and memory by promoting the growth of new brain cells and neural connections. When children engage in physical activities, they use their working memory to remember and perform the activity, which helps in improving cognitive function. 

Social Development: 

Engaging in physical activities is not only beneficial for physical, mental, and cognitive health but also for social development in children. Physical activities provide opportunities for children to interact with others, learn social skills, and develop social relationships.

Physical activities help in improving social skills such as communication, cooperation, and teamwork. When children engage in physical activities, they learn how to communicate effectively with others, negotiate, and resolve conflicts. Physical activities also help in improving cooperation and teamwork skills by encouraging children to work together to achieve a common goal.

Physical activities provide opportunities for children to develop social relationships. When children engage in physical activities, they meet new people, make friends, and develop social connections. Physical activities also provide opportunities for children to learn about diversity and respect for others’ differences.

Conclusion:

Engaging in  Physical Activities for Children helps in enhancing physical fitness, reducing the risk of chronic diseases, improving mental health, enhancing cognitive development, and social development. 

At Manthena American School, we understand the significance of physical activities, and therefore we have developed a comprehensive approach to engaging children in physical activities. Our approach includes a physical education curriculum, sports activities, yoga and meditation, dance classes, and outdoor learning. By engaging in physical activities, we are ensuring the overall development of our students.