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Does exercise really help children to learn?

24th November 2016 Print

Rates of childhood obesity have more than doubled in the last 30 years, and we all know that it’s dangerous for children to eat an unhealthy diet and not perform enough exercise. However, did you know that exercise (as well as being good for childrens’ physical and mental wellbeing) can actually help them to learn? It’s true!

A panel of 24 specialists from eight countries across the world (including Britain) have agreed that exercise during school time is good for children, stating that, “a single session of moderate physical activity has acute benefit to brain function, cognition and scholastic performance in children”.

Of course, promoting regular exercise like this means that schools would be doing their bit to enable a healthy lifestyle and prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. But the panel’s statement serves to suggest that schools might also see stronger academic results if they provide more opportunities for children to get active before, during and after the school day.

But what’s the science behind this? Well, we’ve known for a while that aerobic exercise boosts the levels of BDNF in human brains (a substance that is essential for the growth of brain cells), and that exercise mobilises the expression of genes that are believed to enhance brain ‘plasticity’ (in other words, the ability for the brain to change its neutral pathway), as well as stimulating the birth of new neurons in the brain. 

In this instance, the panel of experts looked at recently published medical and scientific studies on the benefits of exercise for children aged six to eighteen, and concluded that activities such as organised sports, outdoor play, break time and physical education classes all contribute towards better brain function. In turn, exercise enables children to perform better when they’re in the classroom. 

Of course, taking time out from lessons to do some exercise means that children aren’t working inside the classroom. But the panel stressed that this isn’t something schools should be fearful of. “Time taken away from lessons in favour of physical activity does not come at the cost of getting good grades” said the panel. Instead, ‘time out’ from academic study in favour of exercising actually improves pupils’ brain function and cognition and is likely to make them more successful when children resume their position at their desks.

As well as boosting brain function, exercise also helps to teach children skills outside of the school curriculum. For instance, goal-orientated physical activities and team games are incredibly useful for promoting values like good sportsmanship, respect, communication and responsibility. Moreover, research has previously shown that exercise also increases a child’s confidence and self-esteem – another important kind of lesson that goes beyond the ones taught in the classroom. 

So, if pupils are struggling in the classroom, it makes sense to increase the amount of time they’re spending in PE lessons or playing at break time. Schools should invest in sports equipment (the likes of which is available from suppliers such as daviessports.co.uk) and get kids moving throughout the day. The evidence suggests that children will achieve more academically, but even if their attainment stays the same, children will be learning vital skills, giving their brains a boost, improving their mood and becoming fitter and healthier at the same time. So, it’s worth a try, isn’t it?