Is your child fidgety? Does he/she seem to be unable to sit still for long periods of time? Do you worry that he/she may have the seemingly pervasive ADHD?
My middle-born child is always moving. I’ve written about his fidgetiness before. And I too have worried about the possibility of him having ADHD. But I’ve come to realize that he, like many other children I suspect, simply needs to move more than other kids. He is much more able to sit still and pay attention (an important life skill) if he’s had his required amount of movement.
Over the past decade, more and more children are being labeled as having attention issues and possibly ADHD. Could it be that these kids, like my son, just aren’t getting the opportunity to move enough?
I don’t think children are being asked to sit for longer periods of time in school. In fact, many of the teachers I know are well aware of the importance of movement to facilitate learning.
Children are much less active than we were at their age. We are much less likely to find kids rolling down hills, climbing trees, and running around just for fun. Kids are playing outside less frequently probably because of parental fears, liability issues, and hectic schedules. Many kids are just generally not moving enough.
In fact, some studies have shown that today’s children actually have poorer core strength when compared to children from the early 1980s. And, many children have been found to have an underdeveloped vestibular (balance) systems because of not enough movement. In order to develop a strong balance system (directly related to a child’s ability to pay attention), children need to move their body in all directions, for hours daily. Therefore, participating in extra-curriculars once or twice a week is probably not enough movement for most kids.
So it seems children are going to school with bodies that are less able to pay attention than ever before. With sensory systems and core strength possibly not where they should be, children are asked to sit and pay attention. Children, especially those that need to move more than others, naturally start fidgeting in order to get the movement their bodies need. And when children start fidgeting, we ask them to sit still and pay attention, thereby turning their brains off because they can’t move and haven’t had enough movement.
So how do we fix this problem? We need to provide our kids with lots of physical play in order to develop healthy sensory systems and physical strength in order to encourage their ability to pay attention.
I am a big proponent of outdoor play but it’s not always easy to get outside during Ottawa winters when it gets dark out so early.
Some tips to get your kids active during the winter:
1 – Get outside. Even during the week, even when it’s really cold. If just for 20 minutes. Take flash lights or glow sticks – your kids will love it and I bet they’ll sleep better.
2 – Have a dance party! Play a few favourite tunes really loud and go crazy!
3 – Go public swimming or skating.
4 – If you are in the Ottawa area, rent some Active Play toys from Just Play Toy Rental. This month only, if you subscribe to our newsletter, you can save 10% off the rental of any Active Play toy (use STAYSANE15 at checkout).
So how do you get your kids moving during the harsh Ottawa winters? I would love to hear your ideas!
~D.
