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The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed our habits and way of life. Many adults are now working from home. For children and adolescents, home learning has replaced school-based learning, introducing new challenges such as an increased reliance on online resources. As we tackle these challenges, it is useful to remind ourselves of some basics of brain health, namely the need for good sleep, appropriate nutrition, and a sufficient amount of physical exercise. I will focus here on the last point.

Physical exercise is good for our health in general: It reduces the risk of major illnesses, such as heart disease or type-2 diabetes, and protects against stress, anxiety and depression. In children, it is also associated with better learning outcomes and attention. Exercise should therefore be integrated into our new work routines, but also into children's new study habits.

"Live group sessions, held via Zoom or Skype, can be particularly motivating. Why not gather a group of friends or family members to work out together and provide mutual encouragement?"

In the UK, the NHS recommends that young people (between the ages of 5 and 18) engage in sixty minutes of moderate-intensity activity every day. In normal times, that might include walking to school or playground activities. Now that the closing of public spaces and restrictions on social gatherings have made outdoor exercise difficult or even impossible, it can be a challenge to reach this target. During this time, it is important to check country-specific guidelines regarding outdoor activities, as they are quickly evolving in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indoor exercise, however, is still possible! Dancing can replace walking as a moderate-intensity activity, so why not set up a little dance area in your house? Or instead of going for a run outside, you might run up and down the stairs or do indoor aerobics and other exercises.

Plenty of exercise classes are available online that require little specialised material (e.g. ordinary workout clothing and a mat or towel). Children may already have skipping ropes, and for adolescents, it's easy to make improvised hand weights using water bottles. Videos provide instruction on proper form, with instructors demonstrating how exercises are to be performed.

Live group sessions, held via Zoom or Skype, can be particularly motivating. Why not gather a group of friends or family members to work out together and provide mutual encouragement? This is a great way for families and children to share new, fun activities.

"The best approach is to develop a routine, set goals, and keep to a schedule."

The best approach is to develop a routine, set goals, and keep to a schedule. That might mean exercising first thing in the morning and/or in between learning sessions, giving children the opportunity to burn off excess energy as they normally would during recess at school. The entire family can benefit from regular exercise sessions spread throughout the day.

Sitting still for several hours in a row is not healthy for adults or children. Active exercise sessions are a good opportunity for adults who are working from home to stretch their legs and release their pent-up energy, along with the rest of the family.

Regular exercise should not be seen as unproductive time, or as a waste of time. It helps relieve stress and ultimately improves focus and concentration!

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Exercising indoors to relieve stress and improve focus

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Short daily sessions of physical activity are crucial for children during lockdown

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Physical activity teaches children behavioural and emotional regulation skills that may benefit classroom learning. Schools and parents can capitalise on this link by encouraging children to engage in games and sports that are appropriate for their age.
COVID-19 has had profound effects on all aspects of kids' lives - both mental and physical. When schools closed, one knock-on effect was to reduce children's levels of physical activity. Unfortunately, less advantaged children were most affected, owing to their limited access to safe, open spaces for games and exercise. Being active has a positive impact not only on physical health and mental wellbeing, but also on behavioural and emotional regulation skills.

Children use their behavioural regulation skills to manage their actions and achieve certain goals - when putting up their hand in class instead of shouting out the answer, for example. They use their emotional regulation skills to manage and express their feelings in an appropriate way, such as by disagreeing with other children without getting into an argument.

"Being active has a positive impact not only on physical health and mental wellbeing, but also on behavioural and emotional regulation skills."

In a recent study conducted with Michelle Ellefson, I looked at the relationship between physical activity, self-regulation, and academic outcomes in more than 4,000 children. In 7-year-olds, physical activity was linked to better emotional regulation skills, and better emotional regulation, in turn, was associated with higher scores on literacy and maths tests. Physical activity in 11-year-olds, on the other hand, was linked to better behavioural regulation, which was linked to higher academic achievement. These findings suggest that physical activity promotes better academic outcomes by affecting different types of self-regulation at different ages.

Interestingly, the link between physical activity and regulation skills seems to be stronger in less advantaged children than in their peers. Our findings suggest that disadvantaged children benefit the most from physical activity. We are hopeful that games and sports that encourage children to focus on a task or maintain attention could help reduce the attainment gap between children from different social backgrounds.

How games and sports can support emotional and behavioural regulation

Teachers can incorporate suitable games into physical education lessons, while parents can play games with their children at home. In early childhood, games that require emotional regulation are particularly beneficial. Good options include musical chairs and musical statues, in which children move about as music is playing, then scramble to sit down on a chair or freeze when it stops. In these games, children have to control their movements when the music stops. Playing games like these teaches children to control their emotions when they are excluded.

"Our findings suggest that disadvantaged children benefit the most from physical activity."

Games that involve co-operation are helpful as well. In one such game, a child covers their eyes and is led on a walk by a peer. The two children must work together towards a common goal and control their emotions when the task becomes challenging. This kind of exercise helps children improve their emotional regulation skills so they may be less influenced by their emotions in the classroom and better able to focus on the task at hand.

When children reach adolescence, schools and parents might encourage them to play organised sports that require behavioural control. In netball, for example, players have to stop moving when they are holding the ball, and they must be able to throw accurately to other players and into the net. Behavioural control learnt on the netball court may transfer to the classroom, enabling students to control their behaviour during lessons and ignore the temptation to play with their friends when they're meant to be learning. More research is needed to test these specific ideas, but studies have shown a promising link between sports team participation and higher academic achievement. Physical activity has an important part to play in the development of emotional and behavioural regulation - and appears to improve classroom learning, especially for disadvantaged children.

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How does physical activity benefit classroom learning?

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Games and sports help children regulate their behaviour and emotions

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Our website's goal is to promote quality physical education through advocacy and free access to information and resources (see our About Us page for more information on our organization). Our efforts are based on the national standards from SHAPE America; the guidelines for physical education published by national health organizations (American Heart Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, & American Academy of Pediatrics); and the extensive body of research on effective teaching in physical education and the effects of physical activity on the mind and body. We have three guiding principles for the content on our site: Provide content in an appealing way; Keep it short and simple; and Make it free!

Responsible Educators Accountable for L earning are teachers committed to relevant and meaningful quality physical education. REAL teachers use practices that help students develop the skills, knowledge, virtues and dispositions needed to be physically active for the rest of their lives. REAL teachers do not "roll out the ball" or "babysit." They practice their profession with honor and integrity, abstain from using inappropriate teaching practices, follow the standards and guidelines for quality physical education, and continue to learn throughout their careers. REAL teachers are positive role models for children and youth, practicing what they preach by living a healthy active lifestyle.

Of the many subjects children study in school, there may be none more important than physical education. However it must be of high quality and aligned with state/national standards and guidelines. A high quality physical education program offers children opportunities to develop the skills, concepts, and dispositions needed to be physically active for life. Sufficient, regular physical activity not only helps prevent major diseases but it also promotes learning; reduces stress, anxiety, and depression; and improves overall student wellness. It doesn't matter if the child excels in every other subject in school and grows up to become a successful doctor/lawyer/engineer/etc., with poor health any professional achievement becomes secondary. More information: The Importance of Physical Education and What Does Quality Physical Look Like.

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Our website's goal is to promote quality physical education through advocacy and free access to information and resources (see our About Us page for more information on our organization).

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It takes time to create structured, detailed PE lesson plans - and for the past few months, that's exactly what PE Planning has been doing. We've been working on creating brand new gymnastics lesson plans that will soon be available to download in our lesson plans section. We'll let you know when they're available - [...]

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Fit Kids mission is to provide structured physical activity, movement, and mindfulness programs to ensure all children are able to enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of exercise. Free Workout Videos Why Fit Kids? 0 % of U.S. children fail to get the recommended hour of daily physical activity.

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SPARKtacular Programs Physical Education Grades K-2 Comprehensive and engaging curriculum for your youngest students! Learn More Early Childhood Comprehensive and engaging curriculum for your youngest students! Learn More Physical Education Grades 3-6 Improve physical activity and overall engagement…

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The leading website for health education and PE teachers. SHAPE America sets the standards and practices that define highly effective health and physical education.

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Moving More | Alliance for a Healthier Generation

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Daily physical activity supports curiosity, learning, and social-emotional health.

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PE Central is a web site that provides information about developmentatally appropriate physical education practices and programs.