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March 19, 2025

Let’s Get Moving! Why Exercise Matters for Your Child

Even from a very young age, the benefits of getting regular exercise are undeniable! At Doodle Bugs!, we prioritize moving our bodies and staying active in all our classrooms. Programs like Tae Kwon Do are often introduced to Pre-K children as young as 3 years old, as well as swimming, outdoor play, and active indoor play. While every body is different and exercise can take many forms, it’s important that every child is given ample opportunity to get out and move their body! What are the benefits of exercise for children (and adults!) of all ages?

1. Strong physical development. Children’s bodies are growing every day, and that physical development sets the stage for a lifetime in that body. In that critical developmental period, making sure that muscles are being used regularly, bones are getting the resistance and strength they require, and gross motor skills are being developed and mastered makes sure their bodies start off on the path to good health. Additionally, physical play and motion encourages early development of agility, flexibility, coordination, mobility and balance – all key developmental aspects.
2. Improved cognition. Active play engages the brain/body connection in new and exciting ways. Movement activates dopamine and norepinephrine reactions, which can boost focus and attention – that’s right, often “sitting still” makes it more difficult for children to learn! This often translates to improved memory and retention, and the freedom to explore movement allows children to make connections to their environment that improve critical thinking and problem solving.
3. Physical health benefits. With childhood obesity rates going up, it’s more important than ever that children get adequate physical activity. Regular exercise supports and helps maintain a healthy weight, improves sleep and sleep quality, can lead to elevated moods and often supports healthier emotional regulation.
4. Improved body image & awareness. Our bodies can do incredible things! By focusing early on what our bodies can do, and not how they look, children learn to value feeling strong, capable, and confident. How fast can they run with their strong legs? How does dancing make music more fun? How close to the sky can they get on the swings? This early self-acceptance and positive body image is an incredible tool for the future.
5. Build healthy lifestyle habits. Children who are active at a young age and throughout childhood are more likely to lead active lives as adults. Sedentary lifestyles are linked to many preventable health conditions in adults, and those habits are often cemented from childhood! By ensuring your child learns to love the way their bodies feel in movement, you can help set them up for a lifetime of healthy habits.

How to Incorporate Exercise into Daily Activity

The most important part of building healthy habits for children (and adults!) is making sure exercise is FUN! When we talk about children getting exercise, we’re not talking about taking them out for a quick 5k jog or a spin class. For most children, incorporating movement into their everyday play is the most successful way to get them excited about movement. When children learn to associate movement with fun and feeling good, it’s more likely those habits will carry through as they grow.

• For toddlers, crawling, climbing, and short walks all count as healthy physical activity!
• For 3+ children, games like Simon Says, freeze tag, follow-the-leader, or an obstacle course are fun ways to incorporate movement into play.
• Dancing is fun at any age!
• Regular trips to the playground so children can play, climb and explore age-appropriate structures can be fun year-round!
• For some children, options like toddler yoga, martial arts classes, swim lessons, pee-wee sports, or other more structured activities can be a fun way to make sure they’re getting their exercise.

No matter the activity, the important thing is to encourage children to use their bodies and get excited about movement. Not only will this enhance their childhood experiences and development, it sets them up for a lifetime of healthy habits.