Let's get children to become more active

By Gudmundur Hegner Jonsson

Schools nationwide are now transitioning to normal operations under new government guidelines, opening up a wider range of options for extracurricular activities and school trips. And while we all need to remain alert and ready for pandemic-related changes, I want to take this opportunity to celebrate the importance of getting children more physically active.

It's not hard to see why children have been less physically active since the emergence of COVID-19. It's been a global trend, as study after study from Canada, China, Korea, the United States, and beyond over the last couple of years has demonstrated how young people have been spending far more time in front of screens and far less time engaging in physical activity.

Yet children's lack of physical activity was an issue in Korea even before the pandemic. In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) released research looking into how much exercise children aged 11 to 17 were getting. With 94 percent of students in Korea found to be getting insufficient exercise, this country placed at the bottom of 146 nations, just behind similarly underperforming countries such as the Philippines, Cambodia and Sudan.

The research is also clear on the consequences when we don't get enough exercise, such as higher risks of obesity and type 2 diabetes. We are witnessing the rise of these conditions among younger people around the world, including here. In addition to limiting health risks, children need to be physically active in order to develop core muscles, coordination and healthy posture.

I should also emphasize that the consequences of physical inactivity are not limited to purely physical factors. We know that not being consistently active can affect children's moods, sleep quality and social interactions. Moreover, pandemic research has concluded that less physical activity and more screen time are associated with higher rates of anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and behavioral problems in children.

One of the hardest things for teachers at the height of the pandemic-induced social distancing measures was having to hold classes ― including physical education ― online and not being able to encourage students to be active in the same ways as before COVID-19. Now that we are able to resume all on-campus classes, we are all very excited about a new era reopening up for outdoor education, which I believe is vital for building skills and resilience that will stay with children throughout their adult lives.

It is in the spirit of this new era that I want to make some recommendations for May, which rather wonderfully is considered the "family month" in Korea. It is also a beautiful time of year to get outdoors. Sometimes, when you have lived in a place all your life or for a long time, you may overlook what's all around you. This country has coastlines, mountains, rivers and canyons. There are endless opportunities for adventures throughout the year.

For instance, my elementary-school-age students have been given hiking challenges, such as scavenger hunting for natural materials to create art. My high school students have also been given a challenge around orienteering in small groups. This combination of being outdoors, physical activity and working on a challenge in a team setting helps our students physically and emotionally, stimulates their intellectual abilities and develops their leadership skills.

Parents of course have a big role here. Besides sports and organized games, they might take their children to parks or to the mountains and rivers. Even a 15-minute walk before or after dinner can make a difference to the physical conditioning and growth of a child. Most neighborhoods have taekwondo schools where children can develop a range of capabilities, as well as playgrounds where they can race around. The key is to find activities that get them moving around regularly.

If you add it all up, the WHO's minimum recommendation for children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 is an average of at least 60 minutes per day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

There might be some days when you just want to be at home, especially in the rainy season. On such occasions, students can still be encouraged to build hand-eye coordination. Playing with physical toys like building blocks and model trains helps children to be creative while accessing and refining their gross and fine motor skills. As they grow, they can move on to more advanced activities like robotics and STEM kits.

Another popular idea in my experience is to give your child some arts and crafts items and ask them to create something.

Ultimately, physical activity becomes a starting point rather than an end in itself. As children do more, their sense of wonder grows, they become more curious, and they may wish to help plan future activities. By allowing them to experience the outcome of their decisions, we help them to build resilience. Soon enough, children start to create a foundation for lifelong habits.

This is why I view the full reopening of schools with such optimism. Now there is a very real opportunity to engage students in a wider variety of physical activities, while encouraging families and their children to also explore the ways they can get moving together during this "family month" of May and beyond.

Gudmundur Hegner Jonsson is the head of college at Dulwich College Seoul.

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