Preparing your preschooler for a foundation of healthy learning!
Fun Ways to Exercise
Importance of Physical Activity
Regular
physical activity is important for preschoolers. Physical activity helps normal
growth and development, helps maintain caloric balance, and stimulates
neurological/brain development.
Any
movement that uses energy and increases the heart rate can be considered
physical activity. Some examples include walking, running, dancing, skipping,
jumping, climbing, and swinging.
Engaging
in physical activity has many benefits. Physical activity:
§ Improves
strength and endurance
§ Builds
healthy bones and muscles
§ Develops
motor skills and coordination
§ Helps
reduce stress and depression
§ Promotes
well-being
§ Improves
social skills
Amount of Physical Activity
Early
childhood is a time to begin teaching the foundation of a healthy, physically
active lifestyle. It is easier for children to develop healthy habits
early in life than it is for them to break unhealthy habits once they are
formed.
Recent
studies show that young children are not getting enough active physical play at
preschool. Do you know how much physical activity a preschooler should get? The
National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) recommends the
following daily accumulation of physical activity minutes for preschoolers:
§ At least
60 minutes of “structured” physical activity every day
§ At least
60 minutes of “unstructured” physical activity every day
§ No more
than one hour at a time of inactivity, unless they are sleeping
These recommendations are
for an entire 24-hour day, which means that the preschool program cannot
provide the total recommended number of minutes for physical activity. However,
active physical play can and should be integrated into the preschool curriculum
throughout the day. According to the Early Childhood Environmental
Rating Scale, full-day programs should have regularly scheduled
physical activity time daily, both in the morning and in the afternoon for a
total of 60 minutes. Half-day programs should schedule at least 30 minutes of
active physical play.
Remember
that children develop at different rates and should be allowed to meet these
recommendations at their own pace. As preschoolers develop, they are able to
manage increasing amounts of moderate to vigorous physical activity. For those
children who are initially sedentary, teachers can play an important role in
helping children become more active.
