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How Regular Physical Activity Enhances School Performance: Must-Know For Parents

Written by Pakhi Rewri | Feb 28, 2025 7:58:52 AM

A child's life consists of many activities ranging from curricular to extracurricular. Each of these activities is significant in ensuring the proper development of a child's social, emotional, mental, and physical health. Physical activity such as playing sports or exercises among children is generally associated with keeping them active. However, you must also know that regular and continued physical activity also has a lot of positive implications on a child's academic performance.

Yes, you read that right. Physical exercise can have multiple benefits if done properly. These activities can help in enhancing a child's memory, engagement in the classroom, social behavior, and time management. It also provides the child with the much-needed break from their strenuous academic regime and offers them the opportunity to relax.

How Physical Exercise Improves School Performance

Regular exercising and playing sports are not just a conventional break from studies. These can have a significant impact on the academic, emotional, and social growth of a child. Here is how encouraging your child to play sports and exercise regularly can benefit them.

Inclusivity Among Children

While playing sports, students of different age groups and backgrounds come together to work for a common goal. This enhances the spirit of sportsmanship and teaches kids how to accept each other's differences and work collectively. Playing sports can actually help in enhancing social inclusion among children and prevent unnecessary ostracization of children. It also teaches them the importance of understanding individual differences and becoming more tolerant and accepting.

Engagement and Concentration

Continuous engagement in sports will lead to more agility and better concentration power. Since sports require a child to be constantly engaged and focused, it can directly impact the attention capability of a child in the classroom. Exercising can also help in getting rid of fatigue and positively impact a child's ability to think and solve problems analytically.

Motivated Behaviour

Regularly indulging in exercise and sports will help induce a lot of motivation in your child's mind. Because of the nurturing relationship that the child will form with other students and the coach, their behavior is likely to become more professional and output oriented. You will see that your child will be constantly motivated to perform better than the previous times. The child will have better self-esteem and trust in their decisions.

Helps With Time Management Skills

To play sports and exercise regularly, your child will be required to have a proper timetable. This will require them to pay attention to all aspects of life and manage everything properly. You will see that your child becomes more disciplined and remains committed to performing well in both curricular and extracurricular activities. Instilling these habits from an early age helps a child develop into a responsible adult.

Improves Physical Well-Being

Regular exercising and sports activity lead to higher energy levels among kids. Regular physical training helps in sending proper nutrients to different parts of the body and makes the heart and lungs stronger. Optimal cardiovascular and lung health leads to better endurance and ability to do multiple tasks without getting tired. Hence, a child can multitask and give their best to all the activities they do during the day with enthusiasm.

Regulates Sleep Schedule

If your child gives at least 60 to 90 minutes (about 3 hours) regularly to exercising and playing sports, then they are more likely to have a better-quality sleep. A proper sleep for 7 to 8 hours every day will allow the child to combat stress and anxiety. They will be able to rest and rest to get ready for the next day. A healthy sleep routine also helps in building a proper schedule and avoiding any bad sleep patterns among children.

How To Encourage Your Child For Regular Physical Activity

Now that you know about the top benefits of making your child do physical activity every day, the question is how to encourage them to do it. Here are some of the most useful techniques that you may follow to encourage your child to play and exercise.

Exercise With Them

Parents may see visible differences in their child's motivation level upon becoming a part of the kid’s physical activities. Your companionship will motivate your child and provide them with the needed emotional support without any fear. As a parent, you must be the leading example for your child.

Try Different Sports

Variety is always useful in keeping a child engaged and motivated. Introduction of different sports can be a great idea to help them decide what they like. Being this experimental will help your child find out their calling and figure out what sport they like playing the most.

Don't Expect Too Many Results

Too many expectations from your kid might negatively affect their performance and motivation levels. Always remember that the very point of making your child play sports is to keep them mentally and physically healthy. Expecting too many results from them, specifically in the beginning is not ideal.

Positive Reinforcement

Positive reinforcement is very important to induce continuous motivation in your child's mind. This can be done through encouraging words and giving them small rewards such as candy or chocolate after all small achievements. Children like it when their efforts are recognized, and it gives them the motivation to do even better.

Just like studying, playing, and indulging in extracurricular activities can help in fostering a mentally and emotionally stimulating environment for children. A child's routine should be a balance of all the skills and responsibilities needed to equip them with the confidence to succeed in life.