Here's to a Healthier Generation
From the desk of Leigh Ann . . .
“To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” – Buddha
Each day we enter our classrooms and strive to prepare our students to be responsible and capable citizens who are ready for life. To prepare our children to face the demands of the competitive world in which we live, we need to not only empower them mentally, but physically as well. Most of us fall short of the recommended physical activity guidelines for Americans, so how can we change that with the busy daily schedules we have? Inserting a few minutes of quality physical activity in our classrooms each day could help our students better meet those guidelines and prepare them to be a healthier generation in the process.
Here are a few quick and simple ideas:
- Stop for a “brain break.” Get up and move for a couple of minutes and then get right back to work.
- Play a song and dance.
- Create a daily movement challenge. Have kids create movement journals and record the minutes they have spent doing physical activities like walking, running, playing soccer, etc.
- Post a minute movement log in your classroom. Choose an activity (desk push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, squats, etc…) and see how many reps the class can do in one minute. Tally the count and try to accomplish a few more each day.
- Encourage healthy eating habits. Challenge kids to choose at least one unprocessed food each day. (fruits, vegetables, nuts, healthy low fat meats, etc…)
Check out these websites for more ideas.
https://www.healthiergeneration.org/_asset/nkt7sr/em4Life_2013_03.pdf
https://www.healthiergeneration.org/
https://www.healthiergeneration.org/take_action/schools/
https://www.healthiergeneration.org/_asset/ddn8pb/14-6321_StaffFitnessBreaks.pdf
It truly doesn’t matter how you move, but it is vital to be physically active. Play can change our day and it can change our health, so let’s get our kids moving. Physical activity can fuel your brain and improve your concentration. It can also set up healthy habits that will last a lifetime. Let’s empower our children mentally and physically to be a healthier generation.