Living and Learning: I know that being active is mentally and physically healthy.

Thursday 25 November 2021

This week, our Living and Learning statement is I know that being active is mentally and physically healthy. This statement is a simple one: the more active we are, the happier and healthier we can be!

In today’s lesson, the children discussed the benefits of exercise and the effects it has on our bodies. After learning about the heart and lungs, the class went outside to explore the importance of exercise. The children learnt how to measure their heart rate by taking their pulse. They counted their pulse rate before and after exercise.

Ask your child about this activity. Can they remember what happened to their heart rate after some exercise? Can they tell you why there was a difference in the rate and how their body felt?

This is the guidance of recommended activity from the NHS.

How much physical activity should children and young people aged 5 to 18 do to keep healthy?

Children and young people need to do 2 types of physical activity each week:

  • aerobic exercise
  • exercises to strengthen their muscles and bones
Children and young people aged 5 to 18 should:

  • aim for an average of at least 60 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity a day across the week
  • take part in a variety of types and intensities of physical activity across the week to develop movement skills, muscles and bones
  • reduce the time spent sitting or lying down and break up long periods of not moving with some activity. Aim to spread activity throughout the day. All activities should make you breathe faster and feel warmer