Happy Halloween!
INSIDE
LET’S EAT OUT!
O C T 2014
• DAD’S EYE VIEW • FAMILY MOVIE TIME • EARTHTALK • NEARBY NATURE
NEW
Learning to PLAY and
PLAYING by Beverly Smith
W
to Learn
e were designed to move! Way back in the day, 1885 to be precise, the playground movement began as a way to counter the perception that urbanization was threatening American values of nation building and human development...the movement began with the sand gardens in Boston. And from there, sand gardens progressed from sand piles to equipment, gymnasiums, and sports areas. By 1900 the value of play areas was recognized. It was discovered that children in neighborhoods with play areas performed better in school, were less disruptive and were in better physical health. (Coakley J, Dunning E, Handbook of Sport Studies) Today, in 2014 we are facing another perception that has become a reality: the 21st century has the most sedentary lifestyle in our history and with the marginalization of physical education in schools, not only are American values being threatened, but the very health, welfare, and life span of our children. The importance of physical activity for children cannot be overstated in the 21st century. What we knew back in the 1900’s is what we know today: human beings were designed to move. The CDC (Center for Disease C ontrol) recommends that children get 60 minutes of vigorous exercise a day. Do you know how many minutes of physical exercise your child gets a day? 21st century research on the effects of physical activity on children has shown that an hour spent playing/
Check us out on-line at www.oregonfamily.com
exercising is not only important for your child to develop their physical & physiological systems to ensure a healthy, active, and productive body, but as importantly, physical exercise helps your child’s cognitive, intellectual, emotional, and social development. The research and evidence is incontrovertible: Time’s Health/Exercise/Fitness Magazine recently published (08/2014) an article that described the discovery, “for the first time ever, there is evidence that being fit can improve the speed and
connectivity of brain neurons in children....what the results show is that physical activity may be an important part of keeping children’s brains active and open to doing well in school as time spent in a classroom.” In John Ratey’s National bestseller, “Spark,” a chapter called “Learning,” highlights a class of students in Naperville who exercise 20 minutes prior to school and as a result, show heightened senses; their focus and mood are improved; they’re less fidgety and tense; and they feel more motivated and invigorated to learn.
Physical exercise and activity is essential for children and the earlier they start, the healthier and more capable they will be in all aspects of their education and life. So what can parents and children do given the landscape of our sedentary lifestyle and the marginalization of physical education in schools? Here are some active solutions to the movement revolution: First of all, as parents, strongly advocate for full time physical education in our elementary schools. Physical activity = Physical Literacy. • Physical Literacy means that a child can move their body confidently and competently. Like reading, writing, and arithmetic, the ABC’s of movement (Agility, Balance, Coordination, Speed) are learned optimally through ages 0 - 10. • Once learned, physical literacy becomes a competitive advantage, not just in terms of physical and perhaps athletic performance, but more importantly, it helps your child develop their full human potential and capital. Secondly, find time to play games with your kids outside. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3…
f i n d
u s
o n l i n e
a t
w w w . o r e g o n f a m i l y . c o m
PAGE 1