Benefits Of Physical Activity For Children

Humans didn't evolve in circumstances where acquiring food simply meant a trip to the restaurant or supermarket. We evolved in a setting where food had to be gathered or hunted, and survival of the species depended on physical traits that helped to gather that food. Ancestors had to have amazing skills to catch the prey and run away before being eaten or having taken the acquired food by other animals. Physical traits like being able to jump, run, bend or hang were likely extremely important.

It's essential to understand that human body has more than 600 muscles, and it's pretty clear it was constructed to function best when active. We blink 100.000 times a day, our eyes move constantly, our hearts beat, our kidneys and every other organ constantly move and do their work. It seems obvious we should move too.

Learning about yoga and developing early practice can be a very good habit. Yogis usually start teaching their kids as soon as they're able to walk, but you don't have to be a hardcore yogi to try it with your children too. Interesting and fun positions named after animals can be good motivation for your child to want to try them from an early age. Children love to see cats, dogs and butterflies when going outside. We bet they'll enjoy bending like those animals at home too. For them, physical activity is really refreshing since it's not about obtaining smaller waist, losing weight and other boring grown-up things, but simply getting down on the floor and having fun.

Being active at least one hour a day brings a lot of benefits:

• better sleep

• stronger bones and muscles

• decreased risk of diabetes

• better weight control

• improved cardiovascular health and fitness

• increased confidence and self-esteem

• better concentration

• improved social skills

Research has shown that physically active children tend to be more alert and academically successful in the future. Not to mention that exercise builds self-esteem. Sign them to football or ballet classes. If you teach them to run, dance, or to bend like a yogi, they're going to be among best athletes in their PE classes later on, and it's very good for their confidence.

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Children love their games and computers. To inspire and help them become more active, you have to get creative and make activities fun. Try something that can be done by the whole family, like hiking, flying kites, and of course — yoga. Besides obvious benefits for kids like improving their concentration and attention span, reducing risk of injuries, improving posture, balance and strength, helping your child become more active increases the amount of time you spend together and is awesome for bonding.