Short, daily exercise periods help bone health in kids
New research this week concluded that improving a child's activity level just slightly can significantly strengthen bones and develop bone mass. Why not encourage about 10 minutes per day of some kind of physical activity?In many cases, recess provides that, and especially if organized sports are part of that playtime. Schools that already don't have organized recess should get on the ball and investigate it, rather than defaulting slowly to jungle gyms and other pieces of equipment that promote passive activity.
Activities like soccer and other little-contact sports provide a great way to exercise without the liability so many schools are concerned with in this litigious age we live in.











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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-16-2007 @ 8:34PM
Kymberly Parker said...
I'm rather puzzled as to why in the world jungle gyms are implied to be promoters of 'passive activity'. First-rather an oxy-moronish phrase, secondly-- every jungle gym I've ever seen at recess time, was filled with children actively moving, i.e. swinging from rod to rod, climbing, twisting, playing tag on said equipment. What kind of sad, depressed children did Brian White watch before he wrote his item? Jungle gyms, monkey bars, balance bars, etc. are the most used equipment at the school I work at. In the area where I live, that's usually the case until around jr. high, then the 'organised recesses' take over. Say soccer, basketball, etc. Strange children those.
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