As we are racing into the new school year keeping my kids healthy and focused so they can perform well academically is a priority of mine. From kindergarteners to college students, health and learning are specifically related to how successful the school year will be.
You may already be a momma that agrees physical activity is necessary for your kids to perform well academically. Professional research concludes consistent daily exercise for your kids improves their mood and their test scores. So how do we do that this year without running around with extra stress?
Score! All it takes is 20 minutes of movement each day.
In just 20 minutes of exercise a day, you can see significant changes in your children emotionally and academically. It is proven by science that physical activity assists in laying down new pathways in the brain that promotes better attitudes and academic performance.
The Good News
If your kids are not participating in sports or P.E this year, you can simply break down a twenty-minute exercise session into two 10 minute sessions per day. Maybe for you and your kids, that can be done by getting ten minutes of physical activity in the morning and 10 minutes of physical activity at night. Or try ten minutes before dinner and ten minutes after dinner. Physical activity does not have to be all at once or be super complicated. Just help your kids get 20 minutes of exercise in every day.
Let’s Do It
You may be thinking, “Yeah right, I do not even get twenty minutes of exercise in for myself.” So to help you, below are some ideas for easy kid-friendly (ages kinder and up) at-home body movements you and your kids can do together. Simply break them up into 10-minute bursts of physical activity. These are simple movement ideas that can be done every day for at least ten-minute sessions. Mix and match body movements and make it fun.
Simple Body Movement Ideas
- Dance Party
- Jumping Jacks
- Toe Touches
- Jump Rope
- Arm Circles
- Jump (with feet together) side to side or front to back
- Air push-ups (Just raise the roof)
- Go for a walk around the block
- Ski Jumpers
- Overhead arm claps
- Walk up and down the stairs
- Jump on a trampoline
- Go for a bike or scooter ride
- Stretch or Yoga for Kids Youtube video
- YouTube Workout
- Play Tag
If you are a momma that ensures your kids get exercise every day, share some simple movements or activities you perform to keep your kids moving for at least ten to twenty minutes a day in a comment below.
Originally published August 2020
