E is for Exercise

     It may seem pretty simple to know kids need exercise. Toddlers and pre-schoolers need body movement. I am not talking running laps or sit-ups or any other standard exercise older kids and adults use. I mean playing on playgrpund equipment, running together in the back yard at short spurts. Practicing jumping or throwing, kicking, and catching balls. Anything to get their body moving and strengthening those gross motor skills is so important for not only our sanity as parents, but also for their continued overall development.
     Sitting still is not easy for children. Honestly, it is meant to be hard for them because their natural energy level does not really allow them to handle lots of sitting down desk work well. Infact pre-schoolers need an average of three hours a day of active play. Three hours sounds like a lot, but in all honesty it is no fun keeping a child interested and attentive when they have been sitting for too long. I believe fifteen minutes is almost too long for making a child sit down to learn something new, but I know that not everyone eould agree with me on that.
     When they are busy in active play they are still working hard. Taking ample breaks from learning new concepts actually helps their brain be able to break down those mew concepts better because they become more focused after getting their bodies moving. They are also learning at an early age how to work those muscles out which will make them stronger and more skilled at sports and recreational activitites in the long run. It helps with socialization skills. It is always more fun for them to play and run around with a playmate and so it can also help us adults get in some added burnt calories as well on the days that we are the only person they have to play with.
     Some days it is hard to fit in three hours of exercise. Maybe the weather is not helpful for outdoor play. Maybe there is sickness going around in the family. Those days I tend to turn on my child's favorite tunes and have dance parties, or I do a version of musical chairs where I have him act out different body movements and not really focus so much on taking a chair out, but coming up with something different each time the music plays. It may be something like ok this time fly like a plane, or bounce like a bunny, or spin like a tornado. I also let my child jump on our guest bed as there is no headboard for it. We roll balls around the house. Basically anything safe for indoors. It is about doing the best you can to get their bodies moving.
     What ways can you think of for the importance of exercise for pre-k children?