Why Should You Be a PE Champion?
(PE) is an integral part of ensuring a healthy and active lifestyle, not just for our kids but for the country as a whole. PE isn’t just about requiring kids to pull on some gym clothes and work up a sweat for an hour during the school day. It’s a key component to total well-being, development, and a successful future. And we also know that increased physical activity is proven to improve learning and lead to higher test scores in the classroom.
Together Counts partner SPARK PE shares why (and how!) you should champion for PE in schools.
Benefits of PE
Take a gander at just a few PE benefits to see why physical education affects a lot more than just physical fitness.
- Sayonara, sedentary lifestyle. Kids are already required to sit for hours during the school day, and that’s not including time spent before and after school sitting around—watching TV, hanging out, and even sleeping. The effects of a sedentary lifestyle include increased risk of being overweight or obese, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes. These are expensive health issues that set kids up for a variety of other problems into their adulthood. PE gives kids a chance to move around.
- Increased attention span/academic performance. Physical activity helps to foster better academic performance. For one, having an outlet to release physical energy helps kids to focus better while in the class room. Physiologically, physical activity increases oxygen to the brain, increases brain neurotransmitters, and increases neurotrophins that aid in the survival of neurons in areas responsible for learning, memory, and higher thinking. PE has been shown to increase test scores, academic engagement, and brain development.
- Confidence and social skills. On a physiological level, exercise increases neurotransmitters responsible for putting us in a good mood. Over time, exercise increases confidence by helping kids to feel better about their bodies. Practicing a skill and improving (shooting a 3-pointer, running a fast mile, even jump-roping 20 times in a row instead of 15) gives kids a confidence boost and reminds them that with hard work and consistent practice, they can achieve anything. Regular physical activity has been shown to decrease risky behaviors like partaking in drinking and drugs, too.
- Lifelong healthy and active lifestyles. Physical education isn’t just about getting in that physical activity for a few hours per week. Quality physical education programs teach kids how to stay active for life.
These are only a few of the reasons we should all care deeply about whether or not kids are getting the PE they deserve. But what can you do to help?
Talk to your kids, their teachers, and school leaders today to make sure PE is a priority. Every parent wants nothing more than the lasting health and well-being of their children, and PE is a great place to start.
Check out SPARK’s other advocacy resources as well as the Together Counts curriculum and activities for families for help.
SPARK is a research-based organization that provides award-winning, evidence-based programs for Physical Education (K-12), After School, Early Childhood, and Coordinated School Health and is a member of the Together Counts ProgramTM . Since 1989, SPARK has provided curriculum, training, and consultation to over 100,000 teachers and youth leaders worldwide. Visit www.sparkpe.org to download sample lesson plans, find grant opportunities, and register for free educational webinars and monthly eNewsletters.
For more tips on tying together school and physical activity, check out these resources: