FROM THE SCHOOL COUNSELLOR
Move your body
Moving our bodies and incorporating exercise into our days is something we all know is good for us and yet it can be so difficult to fit in and it can be difficult to get our young people moving too!
The good news is that we don’t have to go to the gym or run a marathon to feel the benefits of movement on our physical and mental health. Moving our bodies can help to improve the quality of our sleep, boost our self-esteem, increase our energy levels and decrease our risk of physical health issues.
So how can we get ourselves and our young people moving more? Here are some simple tips:
- When you go to the shops, park a little further away from where you are headed
- Walk or ride a bike rather than taking the car when possible
- Try a dance workout video online or just dance to a favourite song
- There are lots of kids, teens and adult yoga videos available for free online eg. Cosmic Yoga for kids
- Walk the dog
- Go to the park
- Do some chores such as vacuuming or washing the car
- Play movement games like musical statues or Simon says
- Try some sit ups, burpees or press ups – why not make it a fun family competition
- Use a balloon to play ‘keepy uppy’ or kick a ball around outside
Get creative, especially with young children, and play games which involve movement. Ask them to ‘be’ different animals, find some puddles to jump in, play hopscotch, blow bubbles and run around to catch them…the possibilities are endless (and we might find ourselves getting involved and moving too).
Thanks for reading – Sam, School Counsellor (Provisional Psychologist)
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