Lets get Physical with PEAK @ Home!

Physical Education & Active Kids pride ourselves on providing children with a better lifestyle every day through taking part in physical activity.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, said:

"During these challenging times, it has become clearer to me than ever the importance of keeping active and how it benefits not just our physical health but also our ability to pay attention, our mood and our mental health too."

Exercise is one of the most important aspects of a child’s life. Most people think that exercise means going to the gym but for children this is not the case, for children this means just being physically active whilst playing activities such as tag in the playground, playing football at lunch, walking to school.

Exercise is defined as being physically active and working your body at a greater intensity than normal, exercise raises your heart rate and body temperature and works your muscles too.

Children aged 5 – 18 years old should be partaking in aerobic exercise for at least 1 hour a day of activities that will strengthen their muscles and bones. It is important that the intensity of the activity is appropriate, if they work too hard within that one hour this can put them off exercising, increase the risk of injury, or lead to a lack in confidence if they have not achieved what they set out to do because it was too hard or not suitable.

Public Health Minister Jo Churchill said:

The physical and mental benefits of regular exercise can never be underestimated, and I believe all children should have the chance to have fun playing sport and enjoy high quality PE lessons.

We should be trying to minimise the time children spend sitting down watching TV, playing video games, sitting in a pushchair, amount of sleep the child is getting, eating unhealthy foods.

Research & statistics show:

• 24.5% of primary school children in the North East are now overweight or obese.

• only 36% of children aged 5-7yrs old achieve “an adequate level of fitness” according to the Activity Challenge.

• only 28% of primary schools girls exercise and are physically active for 60 minutes a day. This carries over into secondary schools where, according to Women in Sport, female students are turning away from PE in higher numbers.

• children from poorer backgrounds are less likely to do 30 minutes’ worth of exercise a day compared to those from richer families.

Exercising for children is different than adults and children can complete their daily amount of exercise needed by playing games and running at lunch time, taking part in extracurricular activities, PE lessons, basketball, swimming, running, tennis, walking/cycling to school, all of these are good and easy ways of making sure your child is active whilst having a good time.

Children should be doing exercise that is fun, if the activity they are taking part in is fun and enjoyable they are more likely to take part again.

Sport England’s Chief Executive Tim Hollingsworth said:

It’s never been more needed given the massive disruption to children’s activity levels during lockdown with our research showing that the number of children meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines has dropped from almost 47% to 19%. Over a third of children say they’ve had less chance to be active because schools are shut. When schools return this welcomed investment will play an important part in encouraging schools to prioritise PE and getting children active - which is important not just for their physical health but because being active builds mental resilience and helps children achieve academically.

There are many benefits of why children should exercise daily, your child won’t just notice the benefits and changes but you will too. Benefits for children exercising include:

• Increases children’s self-confidence and belief

• Help strengthen their bones and muscles

• Teaches them the importance of exercise

• Helps keep their mental state of mind healthy

• Your child will be less likely to become overweight

• Exercise will reduce the risk of your child developing type 2 diabetes

• Children will have better outlook on life

• Making new friends

• Learn leadership skills

• Positive behaviour

• Trying out new sports and activities

• Learning new skills

• Positive attitude

This is why we have created the PEAK @ Home Physical Activity Diary to ensure when your child and pupils are isolating at home they can keep active and look after their wellbeing!