While more and more schools opted for shutting on-campus classes during the coronavirus pandemic, physical education became almost non-existent for children’s events through education continued online. Exercise for children is however an integral part of their health, even more so during the pandemic because it is needed to prevent obesity, stress and strengthen the immune system.
Since schools are still closed, some parents don’t know what to do about the prolonged screen time their children are getting while remaining indoors, to manage their physical activity itself is becoming a hassle because most parents are not only managing households but are also working full time from home and helping with lessons online.
Kid gyms and youth sports such as Gyminny kids closed down during the pandemic, kids suffered not only physically but also mentally.
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Daniel Gundert the founder of Gyminny says they had to shut down in March for in-person classes.
Since the center was closed he was unable to provide exercise for children and help them get through this troubling time of the pandemic. Gundert understands that children find it difficult to focus on both long-distance teaching and in-person classes if they don’t have a physical expressing outlet.
Besides worrying about the wellbeing of the kids that used to come to the center, he also suffered financial stress due to the shutdown.
He notes that while most of his clients continued to support him for the three months that followed the initial lockdown, he was able to pay bills and cover his staff insurance even though for the most part they had to begin to struggle.
Now however it’s been a while since they opened in June and since then as Gundert explains now they spend most of their time cleaning the space, making sure mats are sanitized after use. He explains that now it is less about profits and more about sustaining as much as they can in case this crisis stretches to two years.
Children are now not as active as they were before the pandemic according to a survey only 25% of children enjoy a recommended healthy amount of exercise every day. Parents should therefore look into different ways to provide their children with an outlet to continue the physical exercise.
A monotonous routine with no physical exercise is bound to lead children into a variety of health conditions brought on by obesity and unhealthy weight gain. One way parents can solve this problem is by looking for fun online dance classes to perhaps add a hint of normalcy to their otherwise sedentary life.
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Older children may benefit from brisk walking as well as riding on bikes, vigorous activities are required to maintain optimal health in both adults and children. Encouraging children to even plainly strolling with you will also benefit them and strengthen their immune system and reduce stress and anxiety in their life which is brought on by the pandemic.
While the pandemic is a challenging time for all age groups, a sedentary lifestyle at this time will do nobody any good. Obesity as a result of such a lifestyle may lead to children developing type 2 diabetes as well as conditions such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Even sleep disorders are linked to obesity.
Therefore the recommended amount of exercise for children and adults is necessary to maintain peace of mind and body while still at home during the coronavirus pandemic.
