Page 65 - RPA May 2020

kids fit and trim, and is good for cardiovascular health, required growth and development, flexibility, balance and coordination, relaxation and stress relief, development of gross and fine motor skills, and acceptable posture.
She adds the advantages of a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and other diseases, the opportunity to be social and learn the rules of the physical and social games, better behaviour, improved sleep, and enhanced ability to overcome physical and emotional hurdles.
Ms Holmes especially highlights
the role exercise plays in improved concentration and cognition in children.
“I’ve been a teacher and I personally noticed that kids who exercised
were better behaved in class, had more concentration and energy, and answered more questions,” she said. “They were more alive and energetic.”
This is because improved blood flow and oxygenation to the brain increases levels of noradrenaline
and endorphins, which help to reduce stress and improve mood as well as create new nerve cells and improved communication between them.
Exercise gets nerve cells to release proteins known as neurotrophic factors. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, for example, triggers numerous other chemicals that promote the health of nerve cells, which have an impact on brain health and learning.
“Laying the foundations of exercise is a vital component of a child’s development in terms of routine
and being part of a team, as well as for a healthy life in the future,” Ms Holmes said.
Ms Mahoney agrees that exercise forms part of the foundation that underpins a good, healthy life, but cautions that it can’t be sold to a parent along the lines of, ‘Make your child exercise because they’ll develop better and it could reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes’.
However, she says parents can be
encouraged to help kids develop a healthier lifestyle overall through something as simple as their
own exercising.
With her pharmacy in an area
of socio-economic disadvantage, Ms Mahoney encounters a “broad range of young children”.
“I find that parents who are less able to focus on healthy living, including exercise, due to other issues, have children who are less developed mentally and physically and more prone to being sick.”
How much exercise is enough?
The rule of thumb for exercise is that young children should not be sedentary for more than an hour unless this involves sleeping. Those attending school should not be sedentary for more than two hours.
LITTLE LEGENDS 63 Toddlers, specifically, should play
actively for at least an hour every day and preschool children should play actively for two hours, says Ms Holmes.
Parents should encourage kids to do different exercises that increase:
•
•
•
Endurance – eg, aerobic activity such as cycling, swimming and running. Strength – through push-ups and similar activities.
Flexibility – through climbing,
handstands and similar activities. Ms Mahoney says schools have
“Kids should be prompted
to do incidental activity
whenever the opportunity
presents itself.”
well-thought-out exercise routines built into their structure – from organised, coordinated sport to unorganised
play activity during recess and lunch, where children are motivated to have incidental exercise.
Kids should be encouraged to participate as much as possible
in various activities and sport opportunities, while planned or incidental exercise should at times be adult-led and at other times free play, according to Ms Holmes.
“It’s important that kids aren’t forced to enjoy themselves,” she said. “It’s all about making exercise fun and engaging within the scope of a child’s abilities and lifestyle.”
In Sydney, she says, schools
are executing ‘kitchen gardens’, which promote environmental and sustainability learning through
the provision of opportunities for schoolchildren to grow and produce healthy food and to connect with healthy food and lifestyles.
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