It's alarming that many children don't meet their daily activity goals.
Children are currently recommended to engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity for about 60 minutes a day, and adults should spend 75-150 minutes per week on moderate to vigorous physical exercise to maintain good health. So doing this as a family is a sensible idea.
We all want children to be happy and healthy, and active play is the best way to make sure they get enough exercise every day but we know what a challenge this can be for some families on top of everything else they have to do.
Children are deeply influenced by the behaviour they observe around them, so when parents model a behaviour to their child, they are more likely to imitate it. Seeing the adults around them enjoying themselves while being active can only benefit children’s health and well-being; families who participate in positive activity experiences together become more confident and are more likely to repeat it in the future.
Participating in physical activity benefits both our physical and mental health. Our understanding of mental health and its implications has significantly advanced, and it is widely documented that physical activity has numerous positive effects on our mental health.
Regular exercise can boost self-esteem, mood, and sleep quality while reducing the risk of clinical depression and overall stress levels. Being active outdoors and surrounding ourselves with nature can bring a sense of connection and serenity, boosting happiness and reducing levels of depression and anxiety.
But even when we know this, getting started with exercise is often the first step. As educators, recognising that not everyone may feel comfortable exercising outside or participating in activities, even in their own homes, is an essential first step in building trust and confidence for families to take that first step.
There is a common misconception that regular exercise must involve going to the gym, jogging outdoors, or participating in sports. However, regular exercise can take many forms, and the most important part is choosing a way of being active that will feel fun and fulfilling rather than a chore.
To encourage your families to enjoy being active together, share the Mouse Club home learning sheets with active play elements such as Going Outside, Out and About or Walk and Talk, as do People Who Help Us and Number Games.
Suggest local parks or green spaces for them to try. Party and Indoor Play contain activities that families can do together indoors to get moving on a rainy day or when going outside isn’t an option
If scheduling is difficult—and let’s face it, we all lead busy lives—suggest that they commit to choosing one day a week for the shared activity and stick to it. No matter the activity, the confidence and happiness levels within the family are bound to increase!
As parents and teachers, we need to be passionate advocates of the benefits our children experience when we are engaged in their physical learning. Encourage families to explore their wider communities and find new places to be active. Share local nature or urban trails to explore or details of inclusive sports clubs if you know of any. Most green spaces are family-friendly, and most clubs have trial sessions, so they won't need to make an immediate commitment.
Most importantly, tell your families about the connection between learning and being physically active. By playing together as a family, even just throwing a ball around for 15 minutes, they can develop an even closer bond which supports learning by boosting their child’s confidence and communication skills.
The Mouse Club resources, including the home learning sheets mentioned above, are here.