The body and the mind are intimately linked, which is why increasing the time devoted to physical activities is a great idea if you want your child to perform better in school.
A he althy mind in a he althy body. If the body appears second in this formula dating from ancient Greece, that does not mean that the physical form is subordinate to the spirit, that it is secondary. It's quite the opposite in fact. Let's see why, most of the time, a he althy body is a sine qua non for learning and academic success.
Why do more physical activity?
Everyone knows that playing sports predisposes us to do intellectual work. But… why exactly? Because physical activity acts as a “lubricant” for the brain. The physiological benefits of physical activity include better cognition (i.e. the “storage” of new knowledge by our brain), and increased ability to concentrate. Two fundamental elements for learning. A head that has done physical activity is a head that is ready to learn.
On the other hand, science tells us that wecould make our young people do more sports. The authors of a study published in 2008 conclude that an increase in the time spent doing sport (up to an hour more daily), even if it encroaches on the time reserved for "traditional subjects", has no negative effects on student results1. Knowing that physical activity makes school work easier, there really is no reason not to do more! The daily increase in the time allocated to sport is a reform that school administrators will decide whether or not to adopt, but nothing prevents you from having your child do more sport on your side, even if it means reducing the period of homework and fifteen-minute lessons!
Increase in school involvement and self-esteem
We also know that sport plays an important role in the self-esteem of children who participate in it. Science backs it up again. A study conducted in 2000 with Canadian elementary school children revealed that physical activity would significantly improve self-esteem, which, in turn, would help increase academic success2. But that's not all.
Participating in activities with others creates a sense of belonging to the team you play for. This feeling of belonging is essential for young people who do not like school very much. For them, sport is the anchor at school that they need. In addition, remember that with sport, the student develops awork ethic, a discipline, which are directly transferable to academic work. Definitely, physical exercise and academic success go hand in hand!
If you only had a second to read this column, and you jumped to the conclusion, here is what was just said. Playing sports equips children – and adults – to learn and be motivated. By increasing their self-esteem, sport makes students believe in their abilities, who are therefore more likely to succeed in school. So what are we waiting for to send them out?
