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Why children need Stretch-n-Grow
For the first time in 100 years, the life expectancy of our children is shorter than our own! There has been no proper physical education curriculum at either primary or pre-school levels in Ireland’s history. T.V., video games, computers, motor transport and a lack of regular exercise have all contributed to the sedentary lifestyle many Irish children and adults are leading today.
Irish Health Authorities are now armed with research showing that physical inactivity increases the risk of everything from heart disease to cancer. The Irish Heart Foundation amongst others recognises that prevention of heart disease must start with habits established in childhood. According to recent research, the increase in ill health, obesity, and heart disease factors, presenting in our children has more to do with inactivity than bad food choices.
Regular exercise builds self-esteem, heightens awareness, relieves stress and decreases illness for children and adults.
'Both heart attacks and stroke are caused by disease of the body’s blood vessels, and that starts in childhood".
(Dr. Vincent Meagher, Consultant Cardiologist at Tallaght Hospital)
In 2002, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education in Washington D.C. released the first ever physical activity guidelines for infants and toddlers. According to this "Toddlers should accumulate at least 30 minutes daily of structured physical activity, and pre-schoolers at least 60 minutes. During the pre-school years children should be encouraged to practice movement skills in a variety of settings. Instruction and positive reinforcement is critical during this time in order to ensure that children develop most of these skills before entering school. For toddlers, basic movement skills such as running, jumping, throwing and kicking do not just appear because a child grows older, but emerge from an interaction between hereditary potential and movement experience."
Stretch-n-Grow provide that structure and movement experience and more! An Advisory Board that includes paediatricians, fitness experts and educators regularly reviews the Stretch-n-Grow curriculum and exercises.
Children receive instructive handouts weekly which help to keep the momentum of the message going with parents. Children love it and participating schools report that the Stretch-n-Grow session has become the most popular 45 minutes in the child’s week.
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