As with other subjects, homeschoolers have a lot of leeway when it comes to physical education. But the benefits go beyond just feeling fit -- taking a break from desk work to get up, get out and move around also helps kids learn.
The American Academy of Pediatrics just issued a report on "The Crucial Role of Recess in School" which said that "unstructured physical activity and play ... affords a time to rest, play, imagine, think, move, and socialize." The study found that when children get a break from schoolwork, they come back "more attentive and better able to perform cognitively."
This week I'll be writing about homeschooling PE and some of the ways families can add physical activity to their day. How does your family stay fit? Share your ideas in the comments below or in the About.com Homeschooling Forum.
Comments
I have written up some of the ideas we have used for Homeschooling PE over at TheHomeSchoolMom.com (which is not my personal blog, but I am accumulating a good bit of stuff over there).
What I find interesting is the reaction I get from folks who are sure that Phys Ed is something we can’t possibly do as homeschoolers, when in fact this is one of the things I see homeschooling families really enjoying together and doing a great job with.
Here’s my article http://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/blog/homeschooling/what-about-homeschool-physical-education/#sthash.Io430Szl.dpbs