Physical activity, often seen as a minor aspect of child development, actually holds substantial importance. The answer to “why is physical activity important for child development?” isn’t just about maintaining good health. It also has critical cognitive and emotional implications, especially for neurodivergent kids and those with thinking and learning differences. In this blog post, we’ll uncover the stages of physical development, the unexpected benefits of exercise, and how physical activities can be adapted to each child’s unique abilities.
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Running Through the Stages of Physical Development: Building Blocks of Growth
A child’s growth from infancy to adolescence is characterized by key stages of physical development that intertwine with their cognitive, social, and emotional progress. First, let’s identify these stages to better visualize their role in child development:
- Infancy (0-2 years): developing foundational motor skills like crawling, walking, and grasping objects.
- Early Childhood (2-6 years): improving coordination, balance, and refining fine motor skills.
- Middle Childhood (6-10 years): boosting strength and endurance, and mastering complex motor skills.
- Adolescence (10-18 years): navigating the changes brought on by puberty, with growth spurts and hormones impacting physical competence.
As your child progresses through these stages, physical activity becomes instrumental in ensuring they achieve critical milestones. Now, let’s explore the less obvious impacts of physical activity on child development.
Read more: Child Development Stages
Uncovering Hidden Benefits: Why Physical Activity Matters So Much
We often concentrate on the evident advantages of exercise, but an array of lifetime benefits exists for kids with special needs and neurodivergent kids who stay active. Below are some of these often-overlooked perks:
- Enhanced cognitive function: Physical activity boosts blood flow to the brain, stimulating neural activity and cognitive performance in areas like attention, memory, and executive functioning.
- Reduced stress and anxiety: Exercise releases endorphins that can help relax and soothe kids with thinking and learning differences.
- Better emotional well-being: Active children tend to have higher self-esteem, experience fewer mood swings, and exhibit a more positive outlook on life.
Still, that merely scratches the surface. More hidden benefits include:
- Improved social skills: Engaging in group activities fosters teamwork, cooperation, and communication skills.
- Increased self-discipline: Children learn perseverance and self-regulation when they set and achieve their fitness goals.
Recognizing these contributions to child development is essential, particularly for neurodivergent kids facing unique daily challenges.
Read more: Child Development Quiz
Customizing Physical Activities: Ensuring Success for Neurodivergent Kids
To maximize the impact of physical activity on child development, it’s crucial to adapt activities according to each child’s distinctive needs. Below are some guidelines to tailor activities for your neurodivergent child:
- Individualize: Choose activities based on your child’s interests, abilities, and developmental stage. For example, if your child has coordination challenges, consider activities that focus on balance or fine motor skills.
- Encourage participation: Engage in activities that your child enjoys or has expressed interest in, increasing the likelihood that they’ll participate and benefit from them.
Moreover, crafting a supportive environment can further empower your child:
- Modify the environment: Make sure your child’s surroundings are safe and inclusive, promoting their engagement in physical activities without feeling overwhelmed.
- Collaborate: Partner with teachers, support staff, and therapists to ensure physical activities align with your child’s overall development plan.
Goally | Apps To Support Child Development
Looking for fun ways to help your child learn life skills? Try Goally! The Goally tablet comes with award-winning learning apps and video classes to help kids develop the skills they need to become independent with FUN & evidence-based practices.
Our apps teach executive function, language, emotional regulation, finger dexterity skills, and more.
As your child develops new skills, you can increase the difficulty level of the tasks in the app to challenge and motivate them even further. This helps your child grow and progress at their own pace, while also keeping them engaged and excited about their development.
A Future of Growth and Well-being: Championing Physical Activities
Answering the question, “why is physical activity important for child development?” goes far beyond the simple need for a healthy body. Purposeful physical activities in your child’s routine foster cognitive, emotional, and social growth, leading to well-rounded and resilient neurodivergent kids. Embrace the transformative power of physical activity and witness your child flourish in ways you might never have anticipated.
This post was originally published on 05/28/2023. It was updated on 10/20/2023.
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We help parents teach their kids life skills, like doing bedtime and morning independently. Backed by science, we incorporate evidence-based practices and expert-informed designs in all of our apps and content.
