It’s all connected
Increasingly, research demonstrates that each of the various physical, emotional, and mental components of our well-being are inextricably linked. For students this means that nutrition, exercise, and social interaction are (of course) linked to learning and performance in school. Recent work in psychology has shown that controlling procrastination, the bane of many students’ efforts, requires not just time management, but also emotional regulation. In quarantine, when access to the common digital tools of procrastination is ever greater, it’s all the more important to make sure we are teaching students to regulate their emotions, using what we know about the mind/body connection to their advantage. For this week’s post, we offer a few ways to exercise the body, knowing its connection to emotional and mental well-being. Since many students aren’t able to participate in the group sports that usually keep them up and moving, it’s time to get creative and try something new!
Get outside for some socially-distanced hiking
Time outdoors is essential for healthy development, building vitamin D and decreasing health risks. While it’s vital to observe public safety precautions, experts agree that the virus is much less likely to spread in outdoor areas, where aerosols are soon dispersed - especially if everyone’s wearing masks. Many city-dwellers have re-discovered the resource of walkable parkland around them, and for those families who have left the city behind for the summer, this is an opportunity to take advantage of state parks on a grander scale than the city can offer, with lakes, waterfalls, and trails to explore.
Track progress, and learn to set goals
Competition can be a great motivator - and if you can’t compete with peers, you can compete with yourself! In any sort of exercise that can be measured in some way - whether by timing intervals, counting reps, or hitting other targets - tracking progress offers the opportunity to develop goal-setting skills and help students watch themselves grow over time as a direct result of effort and practice. This lesson is one that extends beyond the ability to do an extra five push-ups! These flashcards offer a range of exercises that kids can learn to master.
Go old school with it
Although it’s almost unimaginable for anyone born after the year 2000, for most of human history kids have found ways to play that don’t involve a screen. From the thousand and one variations on tag or hide and go seek, to hopscotch and jumping rope, encourage your kids to try out a classic activity from your own childhood. This list is a good place to start reminiscing...
Embrace the new school too!
It’s easy to get nostalgic about an era of play before screens. Not all screen-time is wasted, however - there are a plethora of Youtube exercise tutorials and phone apps that aim to game-ify the exercise experience. The Nintendo Wii system was a pioneer in merging video games with exercise, and is still a leader in the space, but others have emerged to compete as well. Check out Go Noodle Games for another option!
