donate now

Exercises for Children during COVID-19 Lockdown & Era

The greatest asset that an individual can possess is sound health. Therefore, physical exercise remains the only vital tool for achieving optimum health across all ages. It is one of the most important factors of health promotion, especially among children.

WHAT IS PHYSICAL EXERCISE?

A lot of definitions and interpretations have been contracted for the term “physical exercise” depending upon perception and interest. In this wise, it is pertinent to make a brief exposition on the meaning of physical exercise, physical activity and physical fitness.

Physical Activity – is any bodily movement produced by the contraction of skeletal muscle that increases result in energy expenditure above a basal level, and the energy can be measured in kilocalories.

Physical Exercise – is a subset of physical activity that is planned, structured and repetitive that has a final or an intermediate objective of improve or maintain physical fitness and overall health.

Physical Fitness – is a set of attributes that are either health or skilled related and the degree to which people have these attributes can be measured with specific test.

CLASSIFICATION OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE

There are (4) type of physical exercise:

  1. Endurance / Aerobic : Activities that increases breathing and heart rate.
  2. Strength Exercise : Activities that make muscles stronger.
  3. Balance Exercise : Activities that help prevent falls (especially among adults)
  4. Flexibility Exercise : Activities that involves stretching of muscles and can help the body stay limb.

All these four classification of physical exercise are good for our health, if only we can do it correctly.

FACT – According to World Health Organization (WHO)

In order to improve cardio-respiratory and muscular fitness, bone health, cardiovascular and metabolic health:

  1. Children and youth aged (5–17) should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily.
  2. Most of the daily physical activity should be aerobic. Vigorous-intensity activities should be incorporated, including those that strengthen muscle and bone at least (4) times per week.

Now back to the topic doable physical exercise for children during COVID-19 Lockdown. There is no single exercise that is not doable but it depends on three cardinal points:

  • How?
  • When?,
  • Where? and our perspective about physical exercise.

Physical exercise should be seen as a lifestyle not a routine if we must enjoy sound health and long life. There is actually no drugs without side effect and the best therapy is physical exercise. Exercise is medicine

 MOST FUN DOABLE AND EASY EXERCISES FOR CHILDREN WITH THEIR BENEFITS

  2. CYCLING: Cycling is a great physical exercise for kids. low-impact exercise that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, from young children to older adults. It is also fun and cheap.

BENEFITS

  1. It helps in releasing the feel-good hormone in the body and keeps your kid in high spirits.
  2. It is a great way of staying fit and keeping off the extra weight.
  3.  It helps in building better thigh, shin, and hip muscles.
  4.  Intense cycling sessions help in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.
  5.  It helps in improving blood circulation and improves brain and heart health.
  6.  It helps in keeping blood sugar levels under control and extremely beneficial for kids suffering from diabetes.
  • SKIPPING

Kids enjoy this form of hippy-hoppity fun exercise. Kids may take some time to master the correct technique of skipping and once they do, they will have loads of fun. 🧶🧶

BENEFITS

  1. Repetitive jumping movements help in strengthening calf, thigh and leg muscles.
  2. Skipping is a good fun activity for your kids.
  3.  Children who suffer from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder )can benefit immensely from skipping exercise.
  4.  It also aids in channelizing the kid’s energy in a right manner.
  • JOGGING | WALK

This is one of the easiest and best forms of exercise.

BENEFITS

  1. It helps in developing better immunity and helps your kid fight various illnesses.
  2.  It helps in elevating your kid’s mood.
  3. It is beneficial for your kid’s heart and brain health.
  • DANCE

Dance exercise is a great way of keeping your kid hale and healthy.💃💃

BENEFITS

  1. It is a total body work out and also a fun way of indulging in an indoor exercise.
  2. Dance movements require precision and it helps in improving concentration.
  3.  It is a great way of losing body fat.
  4. It is a fun activity that all kids love to engage in.
  • CLIMBING STAIRS

As easy as it may sound but going up and down the stairs is a great work out of kids. You can turn it into an interesting game and involve your kid’s friends too.🧗‍♀️🧗‍♂️

BENEFITS

  1. It is a great breathing exercise and also helps in building stamina in kids.
  2. It is an effective way of losing some extra body weight.
  3. It helps in improving bone and heart health of young children.

GENERAL BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE FOR CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 5-18

  • Build confidence & social skills.
  • Develops coordination.
  • Improves concentration & learning.
  • Strengthens muscles & bones.
  • Improves health & fitness.
  • Maintain healthy weight
  • Improves sleep

Exercise is medicine and from the definition of physical exercise; it must be plan and structure. Any physical exercise that lack these vital arrangement might not be productive.

EXAMPLE OF PLANNED / STRUCTURED WORKOUT SCHEDULE FOR CHILDREN DAILY)

  • 25 Minutes walk / jogging / run on treadmill
  • 10 Minutes for 200 laps of skipping / jumping rope
  • 10 Minutes upper body routines with hand weight
  • 5 Minutes plank
  • 5 Minutes push up
  • 5 Minutes stretch

At least your engagement must be 60minutes in a day and domestic activities are not physical exercise.

Sweeping, washing of clothes and a host of others are not physical exercise, because it is not structured and targeted toward achieving a particular objective.

Physical exercise remains the only tool in achieving optimum health among all ages. As we grow older, our cells and tissues losses their ability and the only tool to renew them is not drugs but exercise.

For people that might  have health challenges like diabetes, cancer, hypertension or obese. They all need exercise and not only drug.

General information

According to some studies, men with waist size over 102cm (40.2 inches) are five times more likely to develop diabetes. Women with a waist over 88cm (34.7 inches) are 3 times more likely to develop the condition.  Work on your body goals and develop a workout plan today. Health is wealth.

Presented by Olumide Moses ADEFEHINTI. He is a Researcher and Public Health Education Consultant with extensive experience in organizational healthcare, that trains and educate people on health promotion and healthcare utilization.

[contact-form][contact-field label=”Name” type=”name” required=”true” /][contact-field label=”Email” type=”email” required=”true” /][contact-field label=”Website” type=”url” /][contact-field label=”Message” type=”textarea” /][/contact-form]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

*

Share:

More Posts

World AIDS Day 2023: “Let communities lead”

World AIDS Day 2023: “Let communities lead” Title: Uniting for Change: Mobilizing Collective Support to Combat HIV/AIDS in Nigeria   Today, December 1, marks World AIDS Day, a globally recognized day dedicated to raising awareness about HIV/AIDS and showing support for people living with the virus. On this significant day, it is crucial for us to reflect and renew our commitment to our response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Nigeria. In the face of the ongoing global HIV/AIDS pandemic, it is crucial that we rally together to strengthen Nigeria’s response to this devastating disease. The burden of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria is significant, with prevalence rates varying across states. It behoves on us to critically examine the urgent need for collective support in Nigeria, with specific reference to the commitment statements made by Ekiti State and other leaders in the country. Understanding the Challenge: HIV/AIDS continues to pose a significant threat to public health and the well-being of individuals within Nigeria. According to UNAIDS, as of 2020, Nigeria had the second-highest number of people living with HIV globally, with approximately 1.7 million Nigerians affected by the virus. Drawing inspiration from relevant literature, we can resonate with the words of Nelson Mandela

A Collaborative Approach: Fighting Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis

A Collaborative Approach: Fighting Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) poses a significant global health challenge, threatening to reverse the progress made in controlling tuberculosis. In this article, we highlight the Association for Reproductive and Family Health’s (ARFH) partnership with Kids & Teens Resource Centre (K&TRC) to implement the Community DR-TB Care intervention in Ondo State, Nigeria. Through a range of activities, patient support, and monitoring, this collaborative effort aims to improve treatment outcomes and reduce the transmission of DR-TB. Join us as we delve into the project’s achievements, challenges, and inspiring success stories from patients on their journey to recovery. By focusing on improved treatment outcomes and reducing DR-TB transmission, this partnership contributes significantly to the broader effort of ending TB in Nigeria. Since the inception of the project, K&TRC has worked diligently with pre-selected Treatment Supporters and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). These partners play a vital role in supporting case notification, treatment commencement, and adherence. Through regular contact tracing, home visits, and outpatient department clinics (OPD) visits, patients’ progress is closely monitored to ensure treatment completion and overall well-being. To address concerns about the volume of drugs and strong side effects, K&TRC’s counselors educate patients during home visits and follow-up

Full Cycle Tax Watch: Marginalized Population

Full Circle Tax Watch For Marginalized Population in Nigeria, Mali and Ghana The Full Circle Tax Watch project aimed to empower young people, with a specific focus on gender minorities and persons with disabilities, across Ghana, Nigeria, and Mali was implemented as a Consortium of Civil society organizations with the support of Voice Global. The primary goal of this project is to enhance social accountability around fiscal issues, particularly taxation and public budgeting. Also to improve access to comprehensive social services, with a particular emphasis on healthcare and education. In Nigeria, the project partners Kids & Teens Resource Centre and Peer Review Forum Nigeria; Society for AIDS in Africa (SAA) in Ghana and the Arcad Sante Plus in Mali all worked together to promote greater inclusion of marginalized communities in fiscal policy-making and practices. The vision is to first, expand institutional support for the inclusion of marginalized people in engaging with tax policy reforms and budget monitoring. Secondly, to enhance the understanding of budget and fiscal monitoring, pro-poor tax policy, efficient tax collection, and public budget allocations among organizations addressing the health and education needs of marginalized populations. In achieving these, implementing members who are trained personnel, trained members of

International Day of the Girl Child Commemoration

International Day of the Girl Child Commemoration In commemoration of the International Day of the Girl Child, K&TRC organized an impactful and informative event at Saint Louis Grammar School and for Girls living with hearing impairment Akure High School in Akure. This events aimed to empower the young girls with knowledge about Gender-Based Violence, the importance of leadership, their well-being as girls, their rights as children, and menstrual hygiene. The event sought to provide a comprehensive understanding of the vital topics needed to equip these young girls for a better future. The event commenced with an informative session on Gender-Based Violence. The students were educated about what Gender-Based Violence is, its various forms, and the severe consequences it has on victims and society. They were also provided with practical tips on how to prevent it and what to do if they ever experience a case of Gender-Based Violence. The objective was to raise awareness about this critical issue and empower the girls to protect themselves and support others. The students were encouraged to aspire to become leaders in their communities and society. They received lectures on the importance of leadership. How they, as young girls, can play significant roles in