Does exercise impact mental health in children?

We mean, exercise through play – watch children running about in the playground, playing football at break time, practicing their dance routines with friends. These are all examples of positive exercise. 

 

For younger children going to the park and playing on the slides, roundabouts, ticking a ball, dancing round the house are all great and will increase those feel-good brain chemicals. 

 

For older children – have you ever tried to force a teenager to exercise? Its not fun and will result in difficulties (if it’s not what they want to do), it may result in the ‘its my body not yours’ or ‘are you saying I’m fat’. So …. 

 

Open up the discussion about options they have – indoors or outdoors, group or solitary, ball sports, dance, walking, running, swimming, gymnastics the options are (nearly) endless. 

 

As long as your conversation is driven by them looking after themselves and not frustration that they are playing to many computer games, or always stuck on their phones then the conversation can be 2-way rather than them being ‘told off’. Giving them choices enables them to be in control about how to treat themselves and the positive effect of this combined with the actual exercise is powerful. 

 

Its wise to ensure the child knows that exercise is not about changing their shape or building muscle it’s about; unwinding, conditioning, strengthening, and sometimes enjoying company. Releasing the happy chemicals in their brain. 

 

 

Lead by example; if you don’t do any exercise; walking the dog, going for a walk, going to the gym, cycling, then your child is less likely to. If you have mobility difficulties is doesn’t mean you can’t do sitting yoga, or sitting exercises – there are tons of examples on the wonderweb! And if you struggle with motivation re-read this blog to get motivated for your child’s sake. Lots of examples are Here on our website