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The evidence is crystal clear: Physical activity is great for children. Researchers around the world agree that young people who are active have better brain function, higher self-esteem, more motivation and better school performance.
In fact, there is a solid body of evidence that physical activity during the school day benefits students in a variety of areas.
For starters, two separate systematic reviews show that when teachers take classroom time for physical activity, kids are more likely to reach the recommended one -hour a day of physical activity.
During the school day, children do not need to exercise for long periods of time. A review of studies published in 2011 found that short bursts of physical activity - 10 minutes or less - increased pupils’ attention in the classroom. Children who took short breaks for physical activity also performed better in school and displayed lower stress levels and better moods.
What about linking physical activity with teaching? A review published in 2015 found that when children learn while moving their bodies, they perform significantly better on standardised tests. There are all sorts of examples of how to make this happen, such as doing jumping jacks while spelling words.
The take-home message is clear: When kids are physically active throughout the day, they are healthier – both physically and psychologically – and they perform better in school.