The Pros and Cons Of Sending Kids To Fitness Programs After School

With the advent of modern technology, kids these days are less inclined in sports or other physical activities for that matter. They would rather spend their time playing games on their computers. Some others are too focused on their studies that they no longer have enough time for other activities. Kids have to be molded towards holistic development. If they do well in one field but totally fail in another, it won’t help them as they grow older. This is why if your kids are not into sports or fitness related activities, you might want to consider introducing it to them. Here are the pros and cons of sending your kids to fitness exercise programs after finishing school.

The Advantages

To begin with, physical activities have positive effects on the brain. According to a study conducted by the researchers from Universities of Leeds, it was revealed that exercising creates the best environment for memory retention and learning. Kids learn faster and absorb ideas better if they are physically active.

Another advantage is that physical activities will keep them perfectly fit. It helps that they are trained about fitness and given the right information at a young age so they develop it towards adulthood. Children who don’t have the right tools to know more about fitness grow up facing all kinds of health issues. They also fail to appreciate the value of fitness and exercise later in life. We all know just how detrimental it is to our health if we don’t exercise especially as we grow older.

Many programs are also built to enhance the overall motivation of the exercising kids: youth exercise programs combine fun and fitness through music, fun moves and group classes that allow for social interaction. Youth exercise has shown to be a great tool for improving social connections for kids – and since many kids struggle socially this is a huge benefit for them. Music, is also a great motivator that helps keep the class fun and interesting for kids who are used to sitting static in class. This is also why the movements that are practiced are simple and flowing, as to not frustrate the exercising children.

Most of all, doing after class fitness programs help tackle the issue of obesity. Although some kids in the world suffer from malnutrition, it is the opposite in most Western countries. Obesity is becoming a major issue and is yet to be solved. The kinds of food children eat and their lack of interest for physical activities contribute to the ballooning problem of obesity. Therefore, it helps that they are exposed to fitness programs at a young age so they understand more the negative effects of being obese.

The Downside

Although it helps a lot to expose kids to these fitness programs after class, it might also pose some issues. Most kids are already tired from being in the class for the whole day. Some children even have to contend with more than 5 subjects in one day for straight hours. They are being treated like adults with the kind of schedule that they have. Adding physical activities after class will surely make them feel exhausted. You don’t want them to be burnt out at a very young age. It is not good for them. You want them to enjoy being kids and exploring their interests in life without being coerced into doing something they don’t want.

Another problem with after class programs is that they might be mixed with kids who are doing really well. This may be a point that will need to be addressed with kids who are lacking in confidence. They might be doing well academically, but they are way behind in terms of physical activities. This can be traumatizing. It might even make them hate playing games or doing physical activities even as they grow old.

In short, you need to weigh the consequences of enrolling your kids to fitness classes or activities after school. There are positive and negative sides to it. The best solution though is to ask them exactly what they want. It is great that you expose them to these activities, but it is better if the decision comes from within. They must have the right motivation to do physical activities.