Keeping Kids FitYour Health Journal | Your Health Journal

From Woodbury Magazine?..

If you don?t take care of your body, where are you going to live? This is a riddle often proffered by physical education teacher, Sarah Nelson, to students at Bailey Elementary School

When summer fades to fall and the days get shorter, Minnesotans drift indoors. Often, this results in less physical activity. Mrs. Nelson wants to teach kids healthy habits that are beneficial to lifelong fitness and improved wellness. She tells them that making their hearts stronger helps make their brains smarter. This is based on research that indicates increased blood flow from physical activity not only helps the body, but improves memory, test scores and behavior.

Nelson observes two primary obstacles to regular fitness; children are either over-scheduled with activities not involving physical activity or sedentary. ?Kids in this district do have an advantage,? Nelson says. ?They get gym class four days a week in elementary school. Most other districts provide gym only two or three days per week. The extra time helps keep kids fitter. It also helps us teach fitness by incorporating fun sport units.?

Some elementary sport units include football, tennis, ultimate Frisbee, jump ropes, roller-skating, bowling, badminton and basketball. Nelson adds, ?We never actually play football, but instead play games that incorporate the skills. It?s about having fun, being active and teaching the values of teamwork and good sportsmanship, not necessarily becoming athletes.?

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Source: http://www.lensaunders.com/wp/?p=3709

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