How many children can go to regular gym or yoga classes with their busy schedule of studies and coachings? For that matter, even going out to play is a chore that is tough to find time for. However, the importance of either of these cannot be subdued when it comes to the kids’ fitness.
Children need to be active every day to promote their healthy growth and development. Kids who establish healthy lifestyle patterns will carry them and their benefits forward for the rest of their lives at a young age.
Importance of physical fitness for kids-
Some of the importance of physical fitness for kids are discussed below:
Helps build strong heart muscles: As the kids play or engage in any of the physical activities, the heart has to pump in more oxygen to the body, the blood flow increases. Thus, just like the other muscles that get strengthened, the heart muscles get strengthened too. In addition to this, the continuous blood flow ensures that any kind of blockage in the arteries and veins is prevented. While this blockage will not immediately impact, it holds a lot of importance once the kids grow up.
Strengthens the lungs: For the heart to pump blood faster, it will need more oxygen to compensate for the energy being lost in the activity. Now, it is the function of the lungs to pump oxygen. Hence, increased physical activity ensures better lung health too.
Helps reduce sugar levels: Given the food habits that most kids these days have, it isn’t unusual to have abnormal blood sugar levels or suffer from obesity. However, regular exercising or engaging in physical fitness can ensure that no additional blood sugar accumulation happens. This is because, the sugar that gets stored from eating all the fatty, sugary food breaks down on priority to provide energy. So, if your kid likes eating junk food, while you should moderate the intake, make sure that they play a lot to expend all the additional calories.
Controls weight: We have generally heard about obesity in kids from a very early age, that can also be prevented if kids are more physically active. Optimum weight is good for the heart and can help people with diabetes and other harmful diseases.
Improves Bone Density: Increased bone density helps prevent osteoporosis, a condition in which bones lose density, weaken and become porous and fragile. Adding calcium and other vitamins in food makes the bones and teeth stronger and helps in improvement of bone density.
Channels energy levels: Regular exercise often makes people feel more energetic, allows them to be more active, reduce stress and anxiety. Kids have a high energy level anyway. For them, adequate exercising ensures that their energy is channelled into something constructive.
Enhances emotional well-being: Goes without saying, but a healthy mind resides in a healthy body only. If the kid is healthy, he/she will be able to focus better on studies, extra-curricular and any other activity they engage in.
Other benefits of physical fitness for kids:
- Healthy growth and development
- Better self-esteem
- Stronger bones, muscles and joints
- Better posture and balance
- A strong heart
- A healthier weight range
- Social interactions with friends
- Learning new skills with fun
- Better focus and concentration in studies and other activities.
Conclusion
We understand that with the repercussions that COVID had, sending your kids out to play isn’t an option that you must be considering at this point. However, fitness can well be ensured at home too. How? There are a number of courses on kids fitness available in the online marketplace that your kid can refer to at the comfort of his home.
Author Bio-
Mr. Shaiju CK, Co-founder of CampXeye, India’s first Digital Education Marketplace. He is an experienced technology leader turned entrepreneur with a wide range of product-building experience.
Image Credit:- Freepik