Growth and Development of 6 to 12 years Old Kids

Kids, belonging to the age group of 6 to 12 years, apart from good and nutritious food they need physical activity in order to built stamina, coordination, strength and confidence. The children in this age group are generally school-going children and as a result they get a lot of opportunities in school to indulge in physical activity. As long as these physical activities are interleaved with fun and thrill children would enjoy these activities.

Fitness at their Home

Many people including children of the age group of 6 to 12 years think of fitness as some organised sport. It will be good if you signup the child for a football or a softball practice game, but just one or two times a week would not be sufficient. You should encourage the child to take keen interest in sports and derive fun out of it.

• Parents should try to incorporate a lot of physical activities in the daily routine of the child. From daily household activities to post dinner walks, try to include all this in your child’s daily routine.
• Studies these days play an important role. True. But try to put in a lot of free play in your child’s daily schedule.
• Keep sports material and equipments at hand.
• The National Association of Sports and Physical education recommends that a child should Get 1 hour of moderate physical activities.
• Avoid a continuous period of 2 hours of inactivity
• Indulge in bouts of moderate physical activities of 15 minutes each several times a day.

Preventing Problems

It is true that children of 6 to 12 years of age are small and when they indulge in physical activity they have a higher probability of getting injured so make sure that your child wears the proper equipments, such as protective pads, helmets etc,.

A child who is suffering from some chronic disease may not be completely excluded from physical activities. Instead the physical activities should be modified a little such that they suit the child. Such activities will keep the child active and will also save the child from the harmful effects of the disease.

If the child is trying to continuously avoid these activities and is complaining about sustained pain during activity or is not interacting with peers, then talk to the doctor and get your child under the required medical attention.

As children develop their ability to participate in physical activities also changes. A child who is in his or her growing years mostly between the age of 6 to 12 should be given new learning experiences. Studies form an important part of the daily routine, but physical activities and sports cannot be overlooked as they look after the long term well-being of your child. If the child refuses to participate in competitions, even then he should be encouraged for non competitive games like swimming or cycling. The parents can participate with them in order to encourage the child. A healthy and a fit child will lead to a better individual.