Schools in recent decades have had a real push to incorporate health-led values into the educative agenda. This means there is an expectation that students will have access to physical education and experience certain things that inspire them to lead a healthier life. The benefits of this motion are clear and explored in the post below.
Transferable Skills
When a child has a physical education lesson, whether that is individual sports or team sports, there are a bunch of transferable skills to be acquired. From teamwork to empathy and everything in between like resilience, problem solving, memory building, and more, there are so many things that can and will be applied to other key areas of their educational journey.
Health Perks
The most obvious benefit of promoting physical education in schools is that children have an outlet and a way to become more healthy. They may not have this in any other space in their life, so being able to access such provisions in school is essential. Not only can they learn about how to look after their body, but they will also be able to experience a range of exercises and experiences that may inspire them to take charge of their own health journey.
Cognitive Considerations
It is no big secret that exercise improves cognitive function. So, children who have weekly physical education sessions will naturally influence their capacity to concentrate, make decisions, absorb information, and regulate within the classroom. Positive learning experiences are essential, and physical education can deliver this and more.
Social Factors
It can also be an amazing lesson to create the scope for positive peer relationships. There is so much room here for students to support one another, learn collaboratively, and even dig into a little bit of healthy competition. Peer groups are an integral part of the school experience, and it is through things like this that people really bond.
Targets Mental Health
Alongside the cognitive benefits, regular exercise sessions also help people who may be struggling with poor mental health. It is true that depression, anxiety, and other conditions will all be easier to manage for students who are engaging in some form of physical activity. Exercise is one of the major ways that mental health can improve, and it may make a major difference in someone’s life.
Self-Confidence
The fact that young learners sometimes struggle with confidence and self-esteem issues is old news. Yet, by having an outlet like physical education, they will be able to organically improve these two things without even realizing it. Exercise leaves the mind and body feeling great, with positive endorphins flowing and all. Therefore, all of the low-mood problems in this area will be instantly counteracted and supported in a way where students can learn to love the results. Self-confidence will remain an issue for humans in future generations too, but it is important to realize that promoting physical education has a knock-on effect in so many areas that will simply make a major difference.
Sports in schools is not unheard of, but it should remain a prevalent thing in order to continue to support students in the best possible way. It influences so many things in such a positive way.
— Featured photo by Flickr user josecdimas, Creative Commons