FUN in the PARK

What are fundamental movement skills?

Physical literacy is when kids have developed the skills, confidence, and love of movement to be physically active for life. In discussions of physical literacy, you’ll often hear talk of “fundamental movement skills.” But what exactly are they? And what are the fundamental movement skills that children need to develop to become physically literate?

Fundamental movement skills (FMS) are the basic movements traditionally associated with human physical activity. The most common FMS include skills such as running, jumping, throwing, catching, skipping, and hopping.

Some sources will also suggest skills such as kicking, swimming, and striking with racquets, bats, and hockey sticks—or that there is a precise number of FMS—but every list tends to be a bit subjective as to what is “fundamental” to human movement.

Swimming, for instance, is a highly desirable movement skill, but is it fundamental to all human experience? It might be if you’re born in a fishing village on an island in the South Pacific, but it wouldn’t be if you’re born in a desert culture without access to large water bodies

Obesity in children accelerated during the pandemic

Illustration of a child's feet on a digital bathroom scale with a Covid cell in place of the weight reading

Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

Children and teens gained weight at a more "alarming" rate during the pandemic, especially those who are overweight or obese, a CDC report out Thursday shows.

Why it matters: The study, which analyzed more than 430,000 kids ages two- to 19-years-old, supports warnings by experts who said the nationwide closures of schools and early child care settings may have reduced the ability for children to have regular physical activity and access to healthy meals.

The study is the largest tracking to date on the rate of weight gain in children and teens.
By the numbers: The average body-mass index increase for children and teens approximately doubled between 2018 and 2020. About 22% of children and teens were obese last August, up from 19% a year prior.

Children who were a healthy weight were gaining an average of 5.4 pounds a year last year, two pounds more than before the pandemic.
Weight gain from children with moderate obesity increased from 6.5 pounds a year to 12 pounds after the pandemic began.
For kids with severe obesity, the anticipated annual weight gain went from 8.8 pounds to 14.6 pounds.
The big picture: Heart disease and cancer were the leading causes of death in the U.S. last year despite hundreds of thousands of lives lost from COVID-19.

These chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity are caused by diet-related factors and are often preventable.
Another concerning report released on Wednesday showed the number of states with high obesity nearly doubling in two years.
What's happening: A federal watchdog report also out Thursday concluded that federal government-led efforts in combatting obesity and chronic conditions related to Americans' diets haven't been effective.

This included government agencies not fully addressing important gaps in scientific research when it came to healthy diets for infants and young children.
But, but, but: Pediatricians have an equal amount of concern for the increasing amount of young people with eating disorders during the pandemic.

C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, Mich. saw the number of people admitted for complications of an eating disorder more than doubled between April 2020 and March 2021, compared to the mean for the previous 3 years.
The emotional tax of self-isolation led to higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress, conditions conducive to developing an eating disorder.
What's next: The American Academy of Pediatrics in September recommended because of the pandemic, pediatricians should assess all children for obesity-related risk factors, provide counseling, and screen for patient and family stress, disordered eating and social determinants of health.



Courtesy…. Child obesity increased at “alarming “ rate during pandemic - Axios

Why I should Exercise

9 EXERCISE RELATED CONCEPTS AND IDEAS

Exercise:

Even kids who aren’t into athletic activity usually enjoy exercise.
It’s a motivating thing to do. You’ve just got to find their strengths.

Some people only exercise when it’s social, so team sports may work well. Some people just need to be measured so they can track progress (via distance, time, heart-rate, weight, etc).

Measure progress and as things improve, the success will be motivating

Strength Train: Here’s why

I am here to talk about Why it is Essential for Your Child to Strength Train between the ages 7 and 11.

A child’s physical, cognitive, and social maturity are key factors in determining the age at which a child is ready to participate in a strength training program.

There is no minimum age requirement for participation, although children must be able to follow directions and demonstrate Proficient body Weight balance and proprioception, which generally occurs by the age of 7.

Did you know as soon as a child is born it begins Strength Training?

Babies learn to Roll, Crawl, Stand up, and walk and this is a demonstration of their version of strength training.

Now the Misunderstanding with Strength Training in our youth is that strength training involves putting your athlete under superior loads that will damage the growth plates and Stunt the growth of your child. But, the exact opposite happens when under proper coaching, supervision, and a structured plan of movements, recovery, and load are combined.



Take this into consideration:

Your child weighs 50 lbs. And they have the ability to walk up and down the stairs. This means that your child has the ability to balance on one leg, project their bodies forward and upwards under a 50lb load and their vestibular system understands how to control this motion + force combination.



Benefits of strength training for Children who play Sports:

Muscular Strength and Endurance will increase
Injury Prevention for Sports-Related Injuries
The increased ability to move proficiently, in turn, increases confidence in the field
Benefits of strength training for children who do not play Sports:

Strengthening of Bones
Promotion of Blood pressure and cholesterol levels
Improves and increases your child's confidence and self-esteem

Thanks to Andrew of Players Fitness and Performance

Top mental benefits from sport for Kids

In recent years, research has also found that Sport in general participation can positively affect your mental health. Here’s are just some mental benefits from sport.

Improves your mood


Improves your concentration

Reduces stress and depression


Improves sleep habits

Helps you maintain a healthy weight

Boost your self-confidence

Been linked to leadership traits

Benefits for children

When children start participating in sports at a young age, they are more likely to stay active as they grow older. Also...participating in a team sport improves academic performance and result in more after-school participation.



The pros of participating in sports are plentiful – from the advantages they provide to young children, to the proven link to mental health and happiness.

We can now accept your Active Kids vouchers at Fun in the Park fitness

https://kidsfitaustralia.com/10-best-immune-system-booster-foods-for-kids-2/

10 Best Immune System Booster Foods For Kids - KidsFitAustralia Boosting the immune system of your kids is not a trend, but a must. Today, I’m sharing 10 powerful immune system booster for kids...