Anecdotally we’ve always known that exercises makes us feel better and think more clearly. Now recent studies show that exercise has a direct positive impact on brain growth and development in children as well.
The recent emphasis on test scores and the cuts in non-academic programs in public schools, the concern should be that we are not only contributing to poor health in our children but also not truly supporting their mental and educational development.
The ancient Greeks had it right when they created what we now call a classical education with an emphasis on physical activity, thereby creating the concept of the fully-formed individual. Of course, despite what we see on ancient urns and vases, not every Greek school graduate was Charles Atlas but at least they had a higher concept to pull them up as far as they could go.
With the decline of physical activity overall in our youth, schools concerned with lawsuits, and the removal of any competitive activity in K through 5, our children are at risk of becoming more than just couch potatoes. They are also missing out on vital mental development.
Mondo 