Covid restrictions caused both children and adults to adjust to a lifestyle deprived of healthy activities. Remember that going for a run or playing a contact sport wasn’t possible when Covid hit. And even after the restrictions eased, some people suffering from post covid anxiety just naturally refrained from physical activities that required mingling with large groups, whilst others struggled to break unhealthy, comfort eating patterns that had developed.
During this time, I saw first-hand how this affected children in general. Physical Education was suspended in schools and parents were fearful to send their children outdoors to play where they might have come into contact with others.
To promote and maintain good health, children need at least an hour of physical activity each day – either structured or free play. Younger children need even more. According to a qualified children’s health program planner, encouraging children to be active has a number of physical, mental and social benefits.
With Summer on our doorstep, we thought it may be helpful to share some of the ways in which we encourage our children here at the child and youth care centre to develop a healthy attitude to life.
- We get them to drink lots of liquids, preferably water, as its important to keep hydrated during the hot summer days in KZN.
- We are really lucky to have a wide range of bright and tasty fruits during this time of the year, think oranges, mangoes, litchis, grapes, etc. A healthy, well-balanced diet supports brain development and eating plenty of fresh fruit boosts overall performance both in and out of school.
- Regular exercise helps in the development of basic motor skills, building of muscle, strengthen nof bones, reduces the risk of illnesses, and improves sleep and mental focus.
These are just a few ideas of fun activities to get them started:
- Running or fast pace walking
- Playing sports; soccer, cricket, basketball
- Swimming
- Have a dance party
- Go treasure hunting
- Skipping or hopscotch
It doesn’t matter what the activity is, the end goal is to stay active, so be creative! And the advantage of using these ideas to stay active and healthy is that it doesn’t cost a lot.