PE For Credit Or Overall Health?

I’ve discovered another hot debate topic, exercise. We know God created our bodies to be active, but many homeschoolers only include some form of physical education to check off the box.

Let’s face it; exercise is good not only for our physical health but also for stress reduction, fun, and emotional health. Overall, we should choose to be active simply because it is good for our bodies.

And this also is true for exercise during the winter months. Because people are less active and eat higher calorie foods, this results in more people getting sick during this season. So, it’s essential to move your body when the weather is frightful, whether it’s for credit or not. God knew what he was doing when he created our bodies!

If you need more reasons why you and your children should exercise in winter, consider that it boosts your immune system, helping ward off a circulating virus, and regulating sleep patterns, which helps to fight off winter blues. Overall, exercise is determinantal in assisting with overall mood and temperament.

Say your household doesn’t regularly exercise, but you’d like to start. Fortunately, you don’t need 60 minutes of killer moves five days a week! Slow and steady is best. Over a few weeks, work yourselves up to 15-30 minutes a day and then extend from there. The important thing is not to get discouraged if the going is slow. Forward progress is still progress!

Some great activities to get moving are walking, hiking, rollerblading, tag, foursquare, and kickball. Great indoor activities can include light weights or stretching and active games such as Twister. Check out some workouts on YouTube. There’s a wide range of exercises, from cardio dancing to stretching to weightlifting.

Since God created our bodies, it is up to us to keep them healthy. I believe that all homeschool families should exercise as a regular part of the day, whether or not it’s counted as credit. As we raise our children up, we are helping them instill good habits!

How do you like to exercise as a family?

Check out homeschooling resources at Rainbow Resource Center !