Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, kids are either attending online classes a few days a week to limit the days they’re in school orattending online classes full time. Since March, when schools closed, kids have been stuck at home with few options to do. But, at least in the summer, they were able to move around the house freely.
Now that online classes seem to be something that will be a permanent part of education until a coronavirus cure is found, students will be sitting all day in front of their computers. That creates a challenge for parents to make their kids get enough physical activity every day. What’s more, there is growing evidence that the lack of physical activity can negatively impact students’ academic performance.
With that, it’s up to parents to encourage physical activities in their kids. That should be amid long hours in front of the computer for online classes. Below, we have a few ideas on how parents can keep their kids moving.
- Join them for a morning exercise before classes start.
Let your child wake up at least thirty minutes to an hour before classes start and use this time to join them for a morning exercise. You can jog around the neighborhood or just around your property, do some stretching indoors, or do a few rounds of jumping jacks in the driveway, then cool off with flavored water that doesn’t have sugar. These simple exercises help get the blood flowing and wake them up.
- Make sure they get up from their chair between classes.
Check on your child between one Zoom class and another and make sure that they’re getting up from their chair. You can encourage them to take a walk around the house or simply stretch inside their room. These allow them to stretch their limbs and relieve the pressure on their lower back from sitting for long periods.
- Encourage them to take active breaks.
Schools usually have 25 to 30-minute breaks for lunch, which means a half-hour opportunity for your child not to be glued in front of their computer. Encourage activity by doing a standing lunch at a high top table or breakfast bar. A slow walk around the house can follow this for a few minutes.
- Make time for restorative yoga after classes.
Restorative yoga is an excellent exercise to help the body and mind settle and repair. After a long, tiring day sitting in front of a screen, stretching their limbs and emptying their mind through yoga can help your child rest while also stay active after class. Restorative yoga can also be a significant part of their daily routine, signifying the end of the school day.
- Prepare healthy meals for them.
Your child cannot stay active, physically or mentally, if they don’t have enough nourishment. Prepare them healthy sandwiches for snacks, make sure they’re drinking enough water, and give them something filling for lunch or dinner. When they’re not hungry, and they’re eating healthy, they’ll have enough energy to do well in online classes and still stay physically active.
With all the changes the pandemic has brought, times have been challenging recently. Meet these challenges head-on when it comes to the health and education of your child by following our tips above.
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