A lack of activity has significant impact on student success

Are you a health ed teacher, gym teacher or fitness specialist hearing from administration, teachers and parents that claim students are not nearly as focused in the classroom during the winter. Are they claiming it's because the students are too sedentary? The good news is you are not alone.

Extensive research has been conducted to understand how a lack of exercise and the ability to get up and move around through out the school day has a significant impact on a child's ability to focus, to learn and to even enjoy school.

The research found 5 key points that connect student success to lack of activity. With a lack of activity the following was seen in children ages, 5-12: 

• A lack of activity is correlated to restless children at night who have difficulty falling asleep at bedtime.
• Tired children, who are unable to fall asleep at night, have difficulty focusing in the classroom.
• A minimum of 30 minutes of activity in the morning and in the afternoon is required to show consistent academics throughout the school year
• Activity level in children decline by 70% in the winter
• Children become restless and unfocused without regular activity which creates a classroom environment where less learning is done and more behavioral issues need to be attended to.

We have compiled a list of activities that can be done in the classroom, with minimal space, to get children out of their seats and moving around throughout the day. Even just a 10 minute break to stretch, jump up and down and get the wiggles out can have lasting impact on student success.