Children and Physical Activity

Young children show a great need to move. They "love to run," and often can not sit still. This is basically a good thing, helping children to thrive and develop. Children, like adults who are physically active every day feel better and sleep better. Children on the move does not get sick as often, and manage diseases better. Children who move get a smoother and better mood. They get a better understanding of itself, which is important for personality development.

Motor development ie, motion control, balance and coordination are totally dependent on physical activity. Crawling, rolling on the floor, walk with arms swinging or running is what children need to practice to develop in a good way. Recent research shows that attention span and learning influenced the development of motor skills, so movement is important also for school performance in "theoretical" school subjects. There are probably "window motor" during early years, when some complex skills like cycling, swimming, or skating is so much easier to learn compared to later in life.



Physical activity during childhood and adolescence has been shown to be an important factor to avoid obesity, both then and later in adulthood. A moving child gets easier to balance between how much food they eat and how much energy it burn off. A child who moves around a lot is also easier to take in the nutrients it needs, as business increases appetite. The physical activity level during childhood is the key factor for building up the skeleton and thus influence the risk of osteoporosis later in life. Bones are constantly traded, but the magnitude of the skeleton is built up in the early years.

In 25 - 30-years old have the maximum bone mass achieved, but it is above all activity in the years before puberty is important. In osteoporosis, bones become brittle and if the bones are thin, the risk of fractures is greater than where they are strong. Too much stress on a growing skeleton, however, cause linear growth is inhibited. It is therefore important that children are not, for example weight training with heavier weights until after puberty. An appropriate limit load tends to be their own body weight in free weight exercises on the floor.

The game is the natural way for small children to move. Music can inspire new movement patterns. Balls, skipping ropes and sledges are simple tools that contribute to the movement for many years. Outside, they also have the opportunity to experience the speed and distance. Nature, forest, meadow, bathing water and snow and ice provides endless possibilities of movement. Being out in nature with the family gives habits that can remain for life.

During his school years filled a part of the business needs of preschool and school - especially for the younger children. It is not enough without the need to generally be supplemented with active afternoon games or any special recreational activities with a business or sports. Special attention is required to not idle pursuits in front of the computer should take over. Preschool children should never sit still for more than an hour at a time. The adults' inactive habits such as several hours watching television at night is not something that necessarily needs to be transmitted to the next generation. Late adolescence and young adulthood is a time associated with a particularly high risk for the development of inactive habits.