Top 10 Tips From Dr. John Ratey (post #2 Of A 3 Part Series)

11/12/14

Back with more from Dr. John Ratey, one of our expert bloggers, who is here to give you an additional three tips to keep kids moving! 

This week Dr. Ratey provides us with tips about the general activities of pre-school aged children as well as kindergarteners.

4. At 2-3 years of age kids should be running, jumping, and developing future skills like hand eye coordination by catching a ball or playing games like ping pong, with parents and friends. An hour per day is recommended to focus on this coordination.

5. The more activity that can be done outdoors the better! We know that there are many bonuses to being active outdoors including the simple positive effect that nature has on the brain, a sense of well-being as well as intellectual development.

6. When kids reach the age 3, and especially when they are in Kindergarten, structured play or games should be introduced like soccer, swimming, racket games, skating and of course BOKS! At this stage kids begin to learn the basics of good exercise like sit ups, push ups, knee bends, jumping jacks, and much more. They should also be encouraged to engage in free play like tag, chasing games, and made up games in order to learn from the other children they are interacting with.

Join us next week for more tips from Dr. John Ratey!