Essay Example Describing Physical Activity in Children

Physical activity has many health benefits in the growth of young children. A childhood that has a physically active life has many psychological and physical benefits in young children. Some benefits associated with doing physical exercises include musculoskeletal, cognitive, cardiovascular, and psychological advantages. The physical benefits of the practices have been less established in children due to many difficulties in assessing the activities in young kids. Regardless of the many benefits of doing physical exercise, declines in the physical activities in children remain witnessed. Several reasons rooted from schools and outside school have led to the decrease in physical exercise among the young. Sedentary activities and transition to school have been among the reasons causing a decline in the physical activities among the young. However, there can be possible solutions that can be used to curb the declines in the physical activities.

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To begin with, the declines in physical exercises among kids due to sedentary activities have been noticed. Parents who do not allow them to have physical exercises bring up many children. As a result, the children end up growing in a sedentary lifestyle whereby there are little or no physical activities. The sedentary lifestyle causes a decline in physical activities since a lot of time is spent in playing video games, watching television, idle sitting while talking, reading eating or drinking. Likewise, declining physical activities have been associated with the increased use of passive transport modes (Bergin, Christi, and David, 224). Correspondingly, environmental factors such as violence, pollution, high-density traffic, lack of recreation facilities and sidewalks are contributing factors.

Additionally, the transition to schools has been another reason for the decline in physical exercises. From the time a child starts a school, much of the time is spent while sitting and less time is dedicated to doing exercises. The school changes their lifestyle and because of an extended period of sittings causes an increase in weight gain. The reasons why children do not experience routine physical activities in or out of school environments is because the schools have become more of stable environments. They have fewer activity breaks that lead to much of their time spent while sitting. Moreover, the physical environment, parental interactions, and group compositions are among the reasons why kids have become more inactive.

However, several solutions can help in curbing the decline in the physical activities and help the kids to get proper exercises. The solutions help in doing away with policies and curriculum structures that prevent kids from exercising. Most governments have provided extra school funding to get children moving and support their families to keep them active outside their school. The young people should cut on their time spent playing computer games, traveling by cars and watching television. Children should be involved in exercises like cycling, running, playing, and doing other playground activities. Parents should be educated for them to understand the importance of physical exercises and on ways to keep their children fit (Cooper et al., 113). Parents should find time on weekends and do something active with their children such as supporting them in any sports activity of their interest or taking part in any charity challenge or fun run together. Similarly, they should walk their children to school or make them cycle to school every day as this will keep them physically active.

Work cited

Bergin, Christi Crosby, and David Allen Bergin. Child and Adolescent Development in Your Classroom, Chronological Approach. Cengage Learning, 2018: 224

Cooper, Ashley R., et al. "Objectively measured physical activity and sedentary time in youth: the International children's accelerometry database (ICAD)." International journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity 12.1 (2015): 113.