Physical activities are good for the healthy development of children. Physical activities characterised as any activity that gets children moving, makes their breathing become quicker, and their hearts beat faster. Children can be physically active in many different ways, at any time of the day.
There are many types of physical activities, including running, cycling, outdoor games and gardening etc.
Importance of physical activities:
Physical health experts suggest following benefits of physical activities for children.
Social benefits:
-- Creates opportunities for fun with friends.
-- Reduces anti-social behaviour, including aggressive and
disruptive actions.
-- Develops skills such as co-operation and teamwork.
Emotional benefits:
-- Improves self-esteem and confidence.
-- Improves concentration and manages anxiety and stress.
Health benefits:
-- Reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
-- Improves physical fitness, including co-ordination and movement skills.
-- Reduces the risk of unhealthy weight gain.
-- Builds strong muscles and bones.
-- Promotes healthy growth and development
Physical activities are good for academic achievements:
Physical activity is associated with improved academic achievement, including grades and standardised test scores. Further, such activity can affect cognitive skills, attitudes and academic behaviour, including enhanced concentration, attention and improved classroom behaviour.
A number of studies provide support for the premise that physical activity and sports in particular can positively affect aspects of personal development among young people such as self-esteem, goal setting, and leadership. However, evidence indicates that the quality of coaching is a key factor in maximising positive effects.
Physical activity guidelines:
-- For health benefits, children aged 5-12 years should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity every day.
-- Children's physical activity should include a variety of aerobic activities, including some vigorous intensity activity.
-- On at least three days per week children should engage in activities that strengthen muscle and bone.
-- To achieve additional health benefits children should engage in more activity -- up to several hours per day.
Meet a physically active child:
Shah Aneequddin loves all kind of sport activities but he is best known among his friends and teachers as "the interschool champion of TaeKwondo". Aneeq has been the winner of the best performance Trophy for the last four years for achieving gold and silver medals in the Interschool TaeKwondo Championship.
Last year the school principal awarded Aneeq a special medal for the best performance in sports. Aneeq has won 7 gold medals, 2 silver medals, one bronze medal, 3 trophies and 1 gold cup.
Aneeq showed a keen interest in Marshal Art training after he saw an all time popular movie "karate kids". The movie was a story of a boy who learnt self-defence, self-control, discipline and how to focus attention and handle bully kids by means of Marshal Arts training.
The sporty kid has thorough knowledge of his favourite game. "Taekwondo is a scientific Korean traditional Martial Arts, that teaches more than physical fighting skills. It is a discipline that shows ways of enhancing our life through training our body and mind."
The physical training teaches us discipline, self-defence, different type of kicks, sparring, board breaking and forms. We are told not to use these techniques on our siblings or anyone in the family or friends! Karate is only for the self-defence for protecting yourself from bullies or bad people."
Aneeq is thankful to his parents especially to his mother for always being there to encourage him. "It was impossible for me to get successes without my parent's encouragement. When my school announced to start Marshal Arts training for the students, my mother took the initiative and persuaded me to join the training sessions. She always compliments my hard work and praises my success".
Aneeq's mother emphasises that if parents wants to protect their children both girls and boys from the stalkers and bad people then they should encourage children to learn Marshal Arts. It gives children self-confidence helps them to self-defence and makes them strong and flexible.
Shah Aneequddin is a brilliant and intelligent student of grade 5. Physical activities have improved his academic performance as well. The nine-year-old kid has obtained the Higher Achiever certificates for Math and English this year. He likes to read mostly informative books, or sometimes adventurous books! But he mostly enjoys reading riddles and jokes. Aneeq's super hero is Flash because he runs as fast as lightening and his favourite karate player is Jackie Chan.
Aneeq is a superb role model to all the children in his school through his active participation in sports activities.