Benefits of Morning Exercise for Kids at School: 8 Ways to Help Them Get Started!

A fit, energetic, stress-free, calm and focused person is more successful than others, happier than most, and able to utilize their full potential throughout life. Amongst the many things that promote both, good physical and mental health, is exercise, especially when done in the morning. Thus inculcating a morning exercise habit among children is a powerful way to create a lifelong beneficial routine for them. This is a valuable investment for their positive heart health, emotional well-being, and general fitness. Morning exercise is also known to help deal with anxiety and trigger the release of dopamine and serotonin, which are called happy hormones! It is never too late nor ever too early to start this life-changing exercising habit. Here are 8 wonderful ways to get the children started on exercise:

Encourage them to walk to school 

When it comes to morning exercise for students, walking to school is one of the easiest options. You may walk with your child to school, enjoy the fresh air and motivate your child to have a great day ahead. If you live too far away to walk, you may consider driving part way, parking and then walking with your child the rest of the way.

Ask them to cycle to school

If your child is old enough to ride a bicycle safely, cycling to school can lead to a mini adventure every day. Find the best and safest route to cycle between your home and the school. Ensure your child has protective gear, teach them the necessary signals and help them understand the basic safety rules. After a few practice runs, they are ready to get, set and go!

Teach them yoga

The benefits of yoga on physical and mental health have made it a popular choice among classroom exercises for students. Yoga sessions can be held at home too, and will help make your child attentive and calm. Interesting storybooks on yoga or guided yoga videos often enhance this experience.

Encourage them to walk the dog

An innovative and fun method of physical exercise for students can involve their furry friends. Your child can take your dog for a morning walk or walk your neighbor’s dog if permitted. This helps them not only exercise but also develop a strong sense of responsibility and compassion towards animals.

Enroll your child in extracurricular activities and sports 

School life should never be restricted to textbooks, notes and exams. Many schools with International Baccalaureate Programme work towards the all-around development of students. For example, at MIT Gurukul, our IB PYP syllabus boosts the academic interests of students, and our extracurricular activities keep them healthy, happy and strong. It is highly recommended to encourage your kids to participate in physical extracurricular activities and sports events organized by the school and to have designated hobby and play time for them at home.

Children love short trips and long vacations, don’t they? Day trips arranged by the top ICSE schools in Pune and other parts of the country help the students stay active, run around and make some new friends. During the school holidays, you may lack the motivation to find options for daily exercise for students. In this case, you can take them on a family vacation. Choose a place involving hiking, cycling, trekking and other fun activities so your child is physically involved in diverse activities.

Motivate the child for recess play

Have you heard of exercise buddies? An exercise buddy can help your child stay motivated, work out together and drive the boredom away during lunch breaks in schools. Similarly, when children play together or run around with their friends during recess, they can stay fit and have fun with each other. So encourage your kids to be active during recess and make the most of it. At MIT Gurukul, one of the top ICSE schools in Pune, our students walk, run, dance and laugh with their friends during designated breaks in between classes and make memories of a lifetime.

Arrange affordable and durable exercise equipment

When the weather outside is not so great, jumping on an indoor trampoline is a fun way to start the day. For older students, treadmills can be a great tool for fitness. Be aware of the risks posed by the equipment and make sure it is safe and age-appropriate for the physical exercise for students and they start these activities first under the supervision of an elder. Choose the equipment that will work best for your children and will last long to be used by the second child at home.

At MIT Gurukul, an IB PYP curriculum school, we prioritize your child’s health and fitness and ensure joyful learning, exercise, yoga and dance experiences as part of our fitness initiatives. We encourage parents to include morning exercise for their children, even if it is a light and short duration activity. If you are interested in finding out how best to help your ward with various exercise options, you can meet our sports and fitness coaches and yoga experts by appointment. You may write to www.mitgurukul.com to fix a schedule for your meeting.