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All Work No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy And Jill A Dull Girl

Introduction

Physical activity is very important for a child&rsquo;s health. Children and adolescents who are active now are more likely to be active adults later. That&rsquo;s why it is imperative to promote an active lifestyle among children at an early age.

On one hand, a lack of movement is associated with obesity, <a href="https://merisehat.pk/disease/depression">depression</a>, and <a href="https://merisehat.pk/disease/anxiety">anxiety</a>, while on the other hand,&nbsp;physical activities have a positive impact on the social and psychological aspects of an individual&rsquo;s personality.&nbsp;

The sad reality is that more people are adopting a sedentary lifestyle these days. Staying indoors and spending time at home has become a norm. Children, especially, have become couch potatoes because they spend most of their time on their computers or tablets. This makes them dull and declines their cognitive skills or stamina. The only physical activity they indulge in is physical education (PE) at school, which unfortunately is optional, and not every child enrolls in it.&nbsp;

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Understanding Importance Of Childhood Physical Activity

It&rsquo;s unfortunate that despite knowing its benefits, there is a lack of physical activity among children in Pakistan. Parents play a crucial role in teaching their children the importance of physical activities. However, most of them are uninformed and are unable to persuade their children to indulge in healthy activities. So, parents should first acquaint themselves with the subject, before they talk to their children and encourage them to take up physical sports.

&ldquo;Active 1 + FUN&rdquo;, for instance, is one family-based intervention that has proven to be helpful. It&rsquo;s the parent&rsquo;s choice whether they prefer online materials or real-time interactive workshops to meet their child&rsquo;s basic psychological needs<a href="#accordion">[1]</a>. Parents exploring fun activities with their children can be a good bonding moment between the two, which can also enhance cooperation between them.&nbsp;

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Promoting physical activity among adolescents and children is very important for their growth and development. Additionally, it improves academic and cognitive performances. The World Health Organization emphasizes that children between the ages of 5 and 17 should spend at least 60 minutes per day on high-intensity physical activities, but only 20% of the children follow this rule of physical activity<a href="#accordion">[3]</a>. Furthermore, it was seen that girls between the ages of 13 and 15 lack physical activity in their daily routines compared to boys, and only 15.5% of them engage in it.&nbsp;

There are multiple reasons why children are inactive. For one, social norms and patriarchal ideologies in Asian countries deprive girls of taking part in sports activities or any other activities that require physical training. This has led to false perceptions perpetuated among teenage girls who think that games are only for boys.&nbsp;

Secondly, girls are more inclined toward social media, trending movies, and TV shows, while boys prefer online gaming<a href="#accordion">[4]</a>. However, the tide has been fast shifting and we now see both girls and boys enjoying sports and indulging in online gaming.&nbsp;

Unfortunately, for many children, they continue to lead a monotonous life, which involves school, homework, and lazing around at home in their free time.

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Circumstances are not always favorable for most children, considering the inflation and other constraints in our country. Here are some budget friendly activities that can be done:

<ul>
	<li>Drawing: Chalks can be a fun activity for children. Children can draw a maze on the floor or play hopscotch like the kids from the 90s. This activity is an encouragement for creativity and fitness.</li>
	<li>Dancing: The simplest way to get the kids moving is to play music and make them dance to the tunes. Parents can also engage in the activity with their kids. Studies show that dancing improves a person&rsquo;s health, calms them, and helps them sleep better at night<a href="#accordion">[5]</a>. Also, dancing is quite useful in reducing anxiety and depression<a href="#accordion">[6]</a>.</li>
	<li>Board Games: Board games are a great way to promote early learning in children. They help them identify colors,&nbsp;and develop hand-eye coordination and math skills.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

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<ul>
	<li>Limit Screen Time: Parents should limit their children&rsquo;s screen time, which includes video games, tablets, and smartphones. If children are under the age of 5, their screen time should be less than 1 hour per day. Moreover, screen time is not recommended for kids under 2 years.</li>
	<li>Organised Sports: Organised sports, like football or cricket, are not enough to keep your children healthy. It&rsquo;s important to encourage them to stay active every day &ndash; a walk in the park and jumping rope are low-cost exercises that they can opt for.</li>
	<li>Skip The Elevator: When parents are out with their kids, they should encourage them to use the stairs instead of the elevator.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Make Them Help Out: Whether it is grocery shopping or doing house chores, letting the children help ensures they are not only active but also learn essential life skills.</li>
</ul>

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<ul>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li>Growth: Exercise is as important as food for children to grow. It helps to build stronger muscles and bones. A healthy bone density or bone mass reduces the risk of bone-related diseases, such as osteoporosis, later in life.</li>
	<li>Better Fitness: Exercise helps build physical strength, which has multiple benefits for growing children. For example, they can walk longer distances and not get tired, they are more active, and they perform everyday tasks without getting lethargic. Additionally, exercise promotes stability and flexibility.</li>
	<li>Motor Skills: Physical activity builds motor skills that help children master basic movements. Motor skills include all tasks like feeding themselves, writing, and getting dressed.</li>
	<li>Posture: Children are habitual of slouching and exercise can improve their posture through core strength. Moreover, it protects the spine from deformity&nbsp;and reduces pain due to bad posture.</li>
	<li>Cognitive Development: Exercise helps in brain development. During exercise, the nerve cells in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex of the brain multiply to form new connections<a href="#accordion">[7]</a>. This improves concentration and memory, which are the basic needs of every child.</li>
	<li>Mental Health: Although most children dread exercising, it helps in relieving stress and anxiety<a href="#accordion">[8]</a>. The endorphin rush promotes a better mood.</li>
</ul>

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Key Points

<ul>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li>Physically active kids are happier kids.</li>
	<li>Exercise strengthens the bones and muscles, and prevents the children from gaining excess weight. Consequently, it reduces the risk of other diseases, like diabetes, osteoporosis, and cancer.</li>
	<li>Physical activity is also beneficial for mental health.</li>
	<li>Exercise also enables children and adolescents to have a better outlook on life. They are confident and have better cognitive and stress management skills.</li>
	<li>The release of endorphins during exercise positively correlates to happiness in children.</li>
</ul>

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[1] Ha, A.S., Ng, J.Y., Lonsdale, C., Lubans, D.R. and Ng, F.F., 2019. Promoting physical activity in children through family-based intervention: Protocol of the “Active 1+ FUN” randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health, 19(1), pp.1-12.

[2] Habib, M.B., Nazeer, M.T., Mahfooz, M. and Safdar, M.S., 2022. Physical activity in Pakistani perspective: issues, implications, and recommendations. Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association, 72(2), pp.322-328.

[3] Imtiaz, A., ulHaq, Z., Afaq, S., Khan, M.N. and Gillani, B., 2020. Prevalence and patterns of physical activity among school aged adolescents in Pakistan: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), pp.1036-1057.

[4] Lu, A.S., Baranowski, T., Hong, S.L., Buday, R., Thompson, D., Beltran, A., Dadabhoy, H.R. and Chen, T.A., 2016. The narrative impact of active video games on physical activity among children: a feasibility study. Journal of medical Internet research, 18(10), p.e6538.

[5] Gyrling, T., Ljunggren, M. and Karlsson, S., 2021. The impact of dance activities on the health of persons with Parkinson’s disease in Sweden. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 16(1), p.1992842.

[6] Adam, D., Ramli, A. and Shahar, S., 2016. Effectiveness of a combined dance and relaxation intervention on reducing anxiety and depression and improving quality of life among the cognitively impaired elderly. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 16(1), p.e47.

[7] Bidzan-Bluma, I. and Lipowska, M., 2018. Physical activity and cognitive functioning of children: a systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(4), p.800.

[8] Alves, J.M., Yunker, A.G., DeFendis, A., Xiang, A.H. and Page, K.A., 2021. BMI status and associations between affect, physical activity and anxiety among US children during COVID‐19. Pediatric obesity, 16(9), p.e12786.

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