Play Hard, Get Smarter
If your child sweats after school, you may stay drier at report card time.
Researchers found that, when compared with kids who rarely moved a muscle, children who regularly worked up a sweat scored better on math, English, and world studies tests. Being only moderately active didn't help grades, either. Only heart-pounding, underarms-sweating, lungs-puffing exercise made a difference. And here's why gym class may not be enough.
Gym Isn't All About the Gym
You probably remember gym class as that time during the day when you ran around until you were sweaty and pooped. But today, gym teachers acquaint kids with not only the finer points of calisthenics but also everything from exercise safety to healthy eating to pedometers and how to use them. So don't assume that because your child has gym for an hour every day that he's getting fit. In a study of sixth graders, researchers found that the 55-minute gym class included only about 19 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity.
Rev Up Activity After School
Nearly half the active kids in the study got their exercise while playing after-school sports. But your kid doesn't have to try out for a team to get a gold star in physical fitness. The key to long-term involvement is finding an aerobic activity that will be fun for him, whether it's an organized sport, like soccer, or something he can do independently, like bicycling, skating, or swimming.
Sweating about your kid's grades? Give him the time and opportunity to do something active that he's always wanted to do and -- who knows -- his grades might shape up, too!
