Readin', writin', 'rithmetic and recess: The important ways PLAY affects children's health and learning 

It used to be that the biggest decision kids had to make was whether to spend the afternoon playing kickball or mastering the monkey bars at the local playground.

But times have changed for everyone, including young children. Increased schoolwork designed to meet educational standards, long bus or car rides to get from place to place and structured after-school sports and lessons now eat up much of the time that elementary-age children once had to run, jump and basically let loose each day.

Increasingly, experts in the fields of education and medicine are questioning whether the lack of play time is good for children. Many believe that a steady diet of sedentary activities, including television and computer games, is a prime reason for declining health in children.

Inactivity is considered a major risk factor for heart disease and the rising rate of obesity among people of all ages. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 15 percent (almost nine million) children and teens ages six to 19 are overweight, triple the number of such children in 1980. One quarter of children ages 5 to 10 show early signs of heart disease, such as elevated blood cholesterol or high blood pressure.

Let the children play

Unlike physical education classes in school that often focus on organized activities and lessons on health and fitness, recess and free play provide children with time to stretch, bend and release pent-up energy any way they want.

Through this freedom, children can learn to enjoy movement for its own sake. It allows them to practice cooperation, respect for rules, taking turns, sharing, using language to communicate and solving problems in real life situations - all important skills that can help them get along better in the classroom and with family and friends.

When they spend time moving and exploring outdoors, kids also begin to develop the same types of investigative skills that will help them later when tackling such subjects as science and math.

Building strong bodies and strong minds

Physically active children have a greater chance of being healthy for life. They are also more likely to do better in school. Physically active children have the strength and physical development that they need to hold a pencil properly and form letters and numbers, hold their heads and bodies upright for lengths of time and to make proper eye contact with teachers as they learn. According to a study published in the Journal of School Health, physically active children also show increased concentration, improved mathematics, reading and writing test scores and reduced disruptive behaviors.

The National Academies' Institute of Medicine recommends that children and adults participate in at least one hour of moderately intense exercise daily. Though important, the two to three physical education classes most children take part in at school each week are only a portion of what they need. Children should be encouraged to be active outside of school every day. While busy schedules, limitations of open space and safety concerns may make this recommendation difficult to achieve, there are some easy ways for you and your children to fit in fitness. [top]

 Here are some ideas to try:

• Play together. Children whose parents are physically active are much more likely to develop healthy attitudes toward being active themselves. Not only are you a positive role model for activity (and getting some exercise to boot!), you can be more assured that your children will be safe as they play.
   

• Encourage your children to try a variety of activities. Organized sports and games are not for everyone. Singular activities, such as walking, bike riding and running around the backyard or playground with friends, are also wonderful ways to stay fit.
   

• Break activity down into manageable chunks. Unlike adults, kids are not as tied into the limitations of time. So you only have 10 minutes before you need to start dinner? That's time enough for a brisk walk around the block or a quick game of catch. Take the stairs rather than the elevator on the way up to the dentist's office. With younger children, whose attention spans and stamina can be limited, it is sometimes better to piece together many activities that take short amounts of time rather than one hour-long activity.
   

• Tap into children's interests. Take a nature hike to look for signs of spring with your budding scientists. Encourage your children's dramatic and expressive sides by dancing to different types of music or using your bodies to act out a favorite story or song. Sneak in some math by using a stopwatch to time how fast they can travel a set distance on foot or by bike.
   

• Teach your children to play the active games you enjoyed as a child. Rhonda Clements, president of the American Association of the Child's Right to Play, says that when she asks parents to recall their favorite childhood activities, most are memories of active games that they played outdoors. When you take the time to teach your children what you liked to do as a child, you are encouraging their physical fitness and teaching about family history.
   

• Limit your children's combined television and computer game time (including toys like Game Boys) to one to 1-1/2 hours daily. Watching television, using computers and playing video games limits the amount of time children might otherwise spend with physical activity and sports. If time is tight, consider a school-week ban on these activities to help make room for more physical pursuits.

Looking to start some new family fitness traditions?

At Family TLC, http://www.familytlc.net you can search for active games by age that you and your children can play together.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The obesity rate for children in the 1960s was about 4%. Today that rate is almost 25% in children and estimated at more than 50% in adults.
   

• Daily physical activity for children helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints; helps to control weight, build lean muscle, and reduce fat; prevents or delays the development of high blood pressure; and reduces feelings of depression and anxiety. All of this can help increase a child's ability to learn. [top]