Section 5: Physical Fitness

Physical fitness is extremely important for young children because it is an outlet for them to become active in whatever they might do. Physical activity teaches young children motor and movement skills. In this paper, I am going to explain what would happen if children do not engage in healthy fitness activities. Then I am going to indicate how adults can help children develop good fitness habits. Third, I am going to include either an inspirational, thought-provoking quote from my readings that captures my attitude about fostering children’s healthy growth and development. Finally, I am going to draw from the fitness articles that I read this week to provide evidence about the positive impact that physical activity has on children’s health, both now and the future.
First, I am going to explain what would happen if children do not engage in healthy fitness activities. Children, who do not engage in healthy fitness activities, are more likely to become obese or overweight. Children who become obese or overweight are more likely to be teased by fellow their peers and they often feel alone. Children, who are obese or overweight, are at risk to encounter certain types of health problems. Those health problems according to “Childhood Overweight and Obesity” are cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes (CDC, 2009).
Second, I am going to indicate how adults can help children develop good fitness habits. A movement exercise that adults can use to help children develop good fitness habits is they can take the children outside and have them play something like Simon Says. For example, the adult can say, “Simon Says to run in place.” The second activity that adults can use on young children is to get a big bouncy ball and have them run after that ball trying to catch it.
The inspirational, though-provoking quote from this week’s reading that captured my attitude about fostering children’s healthy growth and development comes from the article “SKIPing toward an Active Start: Promoting Physical Activity in Preschoolers,” it says, “Its Active Start position statement recommends that preschoolers “should engage in daily physical activity that promotes health related fitness and movement skills” (Goodway and Robinson, 2006, p. 1).
The positive impact that physical activity have on children’s health now is that there are children who are now physically active and they want to participate in many areas in helping them not to be obese. The positive impact that physical activity have on children’s health in the future is that is going to continue on having more and more children who are physically involved in their daily lives.
Robertson, Cathie. (2007). Safety, Nutrition, and Health in Early Education. 4thed. Cengage Learning.
Childhood Overweight and Obesity. (2009). Retrieved 3/6/2010. http://www.cdc.gov.