Everyone knows exercise is good for the body. This is even more so for growing kids who are still developing physically and emotionally. That’s why it’s vital that schools provide physical education programmes. Some go beyond that and offer extracurricular activities that include sports. If you’re wondering whether you should enrol your child in these programs or not, here are a few of the reasons why P.E. matters and why you should choose schools that recognize that importance.
Promotes Physical Fitness
Keeping physically active helps the kids stay fit. With many children going obese because of inactivity and fast-food diets, the Global Indian International School in Abu Dhabi provides a strong P.E. program that helps its students stay healthy.
Develops Motor Skills
Kids develop fine motor skills through the class. They run, swim, block, catch, and more. The more they exercise, the more they gain flexibility in their muscles. That helps them even when they grow up, allowing them to exercise their bones and stretch their muscles to the fullest extent possible.
Teaches Self Discipline
Kids with access to quality P.E. programmes learn lifelong skills such as self-discipline. They learn the value of committing their time and effort to the activity. They learn that missing a practice session is bad because that’s what commitment means: you show up. You’re there even when you don’t feel like it. That helps them become responsible and is a key component in teaching kids about the importance of hard work and dedication.
Provides Stress Relief
There’s a lot of pressure on students these days. Social media platforms don’t make it any easier. Add the anxiety and worry over what’s happening with the coronavirus and it’s easy to understand how many of the kids suffer from high levels of stress. P.E. classes offer a respite from that. By helping them focus on their fitness and health, by engaging them in exercises, they get much-needed stress relief. Regular exercise creates as well as releases serotonin that eases stress and improves mood. P.E. classes help students feel better.
Enhances Relationships
Some of the games during P.E. class involve being in a group. Kids learn how to communicate with others better. They learn what’s it like to be part of a team, to have other people counting on you, to need help from others, and to extend whatever help you can manage to them, too. By playing together, kids learn that teamwork makes teams work. With your child learning people skills, they’ll grow well able to get along with others. That matters in building connections and forming relationships.
Teaches About Losing
There’s nothing like being a part of a team that’s gunning for the trophy only to lose. Kids who learn about failure the first time around might find it hard to deal with. But seeing how the rest of their teammates accepts the loss will help. Kids who learn early on how to deal with a situation when things don’t go their way, when they lose, is crucial to building their overall personality and character. A child who’s never lost at anything won’t know how to accept defeat or how to pick themselves up after that encounter. That’s why failure matters. Knowing how to handle failure will teach them more about what they can do and take on, what they can accomplish. It teaches them that they don’t have to stop at this point. They can keep going and trying until they succeed.
Reminds About Teamwork
When the team does win, it teaches the kids all about the things that help get the team to that point: teamwork, cooperation, collaboration. Working together is what got them to win and it’ll instill the lesson that no one gets there alone. When they grow up, they’ll learn to value relationships and people. They’ll learn that everybody brings something to the table and that kind of mindset will help your child live a rich and fulfilling life.
Inspires Goals
Participating in games teaches kids all about setting goals. Is the goal to win? If there’s an activity or event that they want to do well at, then they’ll practice and keep trying. More than learning the basics, they’ll try to increase their endurance and practice time. They learn that with hard work, they can achieve most of anything. With P.E. classes, students don’t only learn to play, but set goals, and that goal-setting skill will help them achieve success in the future.
Leads to Emotional Development
The goal of any true education isn’t limited to high test scores and grades. It’s about helping kids reach their full potential. Letting them play games helps them achieve emotional growth as well. They learn how to manage and control their emotions. That’s a skill that most adults haven’t even mastered, much less learned. Children who understand the importance of managing their emotions early on will know how to deal with stressful situations. That’s a benefit that lasts for a lifetime.