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Benefits of Exercise for Kids

There are plenty of reasons for kids to exercise that you may not be aware of. Still, besides the obvious benefits of keeping physically fit, there is so much more for your kids to gain from maintaining a healthy lifestyle through exercise and more physical activity generally. Here are some amazing benefits concerning exercise for children:

• Stress is a significant factor in today’s world when it comes to mental and physical health. Stress and anxiety are also not limited to just adults either. According to an article by The Sydney Morning Herald in 2018, young children were experiencing high levels of stress in schools. A staggering 47% of Australian students felt stressed and tense while studying, nearly half of all Australian kids. This was considerably higher than the global rate of 37% at the time.
• According to the OECD average, an incredible 67% of local students report feeling anxiety over tests, even if they are well prepared for them beforehand. This is in comparison to the global average of 56% (interesting to note that this stress is more common among girls than boys). Those statistics have no doubt climbed within the past year due to COVID-19. Much like adults, common daily stressors of children include relationships with family members, friendships, environment and school life/work. With the pandemic drastically changing life as we know it, your child may be stressed by these sudden and major life changes.
• Exercise lowers your cortisol levels, which is considered one of the stress hormones that your body produces when worked up or anxious. It also simultaneously increases endorphins, which is your happy hormone. Exercise also boosts general mood and overall feelings of satisfaction, leaving you with a much happier child after they’ve worked up a sweat. What more could a parent or guardian want?
• One can’t discuss the benefits of exercise for anybody without highlighting the clear physical benefits that it provides anyone who makes it a part of their lifestyle. They’re just too vital to leave out. We know that exercise helps us keep fit and healthy as adults, but how exactly does it benefit our children?

• First, it helps to build stronger muscles and bones. Building strong bones and muscles when young is vital since it keeps them strong as you get older and makes it more possible for you to age as gracefully as possible. You’re less likely to seriously injure yourself during physical activity if your muscles and bones are strong from years of exercise. When your bones adapt to regular exercise, they become denser. Kids who exercise regularly will also lower their chances of contracting type two diabetes because regular exercise increases the insulin sensitivity of all cells in your body. Therefore, when you exercise, your body needs less insulin to keep blood sugar levels regular. Exercise also helps keep your blood level healthy by lowering blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. Regular exercise from a young age will keep your kids happy and healthy for years to come if they adopt it as part of their routine.
• An important yet overlooked, incredibly beneficial point of exercise for children is the benefit it has on their social lives. We may think of kids as sociable creatures by nature, but when they interact through sport or exercise, it helps shape many building blocks of social interaction. When children exercise together, they naturally socialise with each other and it's way more beneficial than simply getting to know other children and making friends, as this type of social interaction is so constructive.
• Exercise helps children communicate more efficiently and this is an important life lesson for them since it builds on various social aspects. Firstly, children learn how to efficiently communicate when they exercise and play sports with other kids because group exercise and sports require good communication between all parties.
• During sporting activities, you learn how to problem-solve and work together within a group setting. It forces you to deal with problems head-on and find solutions together as a team. This will also build confidence in kids when it comes to meeting and making new friends. Kids also learn social cues by interacting with other children through exercise as they learn etiquette through sports too. Some examples of this include how to be a ‘team player' and what's considered good sportsmanship.

• As mentioned earlier, physical activity plays a considerable role in mental health and stress. However, did you know that exercise can also play a significant part in a child’s academic performance? Above, we touched on how activity creates high dopamine levels. It does more than that, though; it increases various beneficial hormones such as norepinephrine and serotonin. These hormones also play a part in your level of focus and attention. According to studies, exercise can help those with ADHD. It is one of the most effective and budget-friendly ways of treating it and has been proven to work similarly to pharmaceuticals designed to treat ADHD, such as Ritalin and Adderall. These same hormones will also increase general mental alertness and keep you sharp mentally.
• Exercise is also a great way to improve a child’s self-esteem. There have been several studies done in various countries on the link between exercise and self-esteem, even in children. One such study was done by Campbell Systematic Review, which proves a definitive link between self-esteem and exercise for children and young people. According to the study, regular exercise improves self-esteem, which alleviates many other serious problems. One of these problems is the possible development of psychological or behavioural problems later in life. The study was done through running, swimming, various ball games and physical outdoor activities. They only included moderate to high-intensity training instead of low-intensity training, such as regular physical education classes.
• Low-intensity training is considered to be walking and other low-impact cardio workouts. Based on the results, there is a clear short-term link in increased self-esteem and exercise for the children involved. Besides the study itself, other research mention exercise’s ability to provide kids with a sense of pride and achievement. This is important as children enter the age for schooling since it boosts their ability to cope with the work they receive.

• Another fantastic benefit to exercise for kids is that it improves sleeping patterns. A good night’s sleep is vital for growing children. A good rest means good focus, mood and a clear mind the next day–especially important for kids of school-going age. Exercise not only helps your child to fall asleep faster, but it also helps them stay asleep for an extended period. It means no interrupted sleep, which is said to be just as harmful as only a few hours of sleep. The more intense and vigorous the sport or activity, the better the quality of sleep will be. A good night's sleep also helps with memory, another critical factor for school-going kids.

There is strong evidence to show that exercise and sport is not merely another way to keep children busy. It's a major contributing factor to their mental and physical wellbeing–crucial at a young age. It shapes kids into more confident adults who are also physically healthy and able to excel academically.

Now that we know that it’s vital for children to keep fit, it’s clear that you ought to put more effort into keeping them active. An encouraging way to keep young kids encouraged in exercise is the right activewear for kids. Finding the right children’s activewear will not only encourage them to exercise more; it will also help them execute their chosen sport to the best of their ability. Most girls love active wear and it's vital for exercise, as it can make or break a workout session, even with kids.

Common Mistakes People Make When Buying Children's Activewear in Australia

When it comes to buying activity wear for your children, only the best will do. The proper workout clothes will make an exercise session for your little ones so much more enjoyable and easier too. For whatever reason, it is somewhat more challenging to find suitable activewear for kids or girls in particular. Few shops cater specifically to children’s fitness clothing, especially to girls. So, here are some common pitfalls to look out for when buying girls' activewear:

• One of the biggest mistakes people make when buying kid's activewear, or girls' sportswear in Australia, is not buying from a specialist shop. Buying kids' gym clothes from a company that specialises in children’s activewear will ensure you get the best quality for your money. Some retailers may focus too much on budget buying, but the critical thing to look out for, especially when purchasing girls' sportswear, is quality. These retailers mass produce clothing and may not always have the specific material or cut you’re looking for in gym wear.
• It may be tempting to buy activewear that is simply visually appealing with loads of bright colours and patterns, but you should look beyond that. What is important is the type of material used, and not necessarily the way the girls’ bike shorts or girls' gym wear looks. For example, you may have a daughter who practices gymnastics. That is a sport that requires specific girls' gym pants made from spandex. It's vital because material plays a significant role in a gymnast's ability to move and perform movements effectively. However, this doesn’t mean you have to choose practicality over the appeal. Various outlets sell kids' gymnastics clothes and kids' gym wear that are both suited to your kid’s sense of style and their chosen sport or exercise. This is why it’s important to choose a specialist retailer of kids' activewear in Australia.
• You may think buying an outfit that in a set is not a big deal, but it's more important than you realise. Mass retailers will usually sell activewear separately, such as one pair of girls' sports leggings or standard gym shorts for teens. Buying gym clothes as you go along may seem like an easier way to go about it, but what you want is to buy a complete outfit. Although aesthetically pleasing, and children feel good in a gym set, it means much more than that.

• Each sport requires a specific type of clothing, made from a particular fabric. It is of the utmost importance that your child wears the right gym outfit designed for their chosen sport or activity. If you mix and match outfits, or you purchase any generalised or girls' active leggings, or gym shorts for girls, you may not be getting the dedicated fabric required to execute your child’s chosen sport properly. Girls' activewear sets that are specially designed for what sport they do is easy to find at Owlete Active. Besides any gym teen wants to look great, and girls in active wear look adorable.
• Another big mistake people make when buying gym clothes is not caring for the outfit after purchase. The aftercare of any gym attire is just as important as the type of outfit you chose. The material makes the clothing and is helpful in your child’s sport or activity of choice. These materials require particular care, and it's imperative to know how to wash activewear before you simply toss it in the washing machine. You can wash some sports clothes in a washing machine, and others you must wash by hand. Few items will survive in a tumble dryer and have to dry naturally in the sun.
• A simple mistake when washing your gym clothes can impact longevity or ability to fulfil its purpose adequately. Using too much laundry detergent or powder can also prove detrimental to your kid’s active wear. Too much washing powder can leave behind residue and trap some odours left behind from a workout.

All these common mistakes may seem small but play a big part in the overall quality of the workout that your child receives. It also shows just how important it is for your little ones to not only have gym clothing explicitly designed for them but their particular sport or activity too. The proper workout clothes will give them confidence and help them perform to the best of their ability. This is what every parent and guardian wants for their kids, to excel in whatever they love and have fun in the process.