Exercise is beneficial for strengthening muscles, increasing stamina and for providing tools to improve emotional or behavioral problems. In particular, group exercises are useful in providing an outlet to reduce stress, aid communication skills, encouraging social interaction, building problem solving skills and self-esteem. Exercise helps children learn to focus their attention, limit anger outburst and improve motor skills. Group exercise provides a non-traditional atmosphere to approach these behavioral issues. Innovative ideas keeps exercise enjoyable, and provides emotional challenges to expand social skills.
Active Nature Walks
Exercise requires focus and attention, which helps to quiet the mind of other concerns. Experts agree that walking in nature provides a relaxing and soothing effect on children with behavior problems, in addition to toning muscles.These walks provide an opportunity to teach children about local species of animals, encouraging listening skills, and interaction with others through a team approach. Using group or individual journals to log details about the experience is another way to incorporate lessons in communication. State parks and neighborhood walk paths provide excellent areas to explore.
Children's Amazing Race
A group exercise idea for children and adults, similar to a popular television show theme, can provide new ways to teach children to rely on a partner, strengthen communication and problems solving skills. Teams consist of pairs, and perform challenges to receive clues to the next challenge. Using exercises, like ten jumps with a jump rope, or running around obstacles, is a challenge that incorporates motor skills and sharing of responsibility. These group activities can be performed in a backyard, gym, playground, neighborhood setting or local park.
Gardening
Group gardening, for children with behavior problems, can stimulate the imagination, challenge problem solving skills, and provide exercise benefits of bending, squatting and digging. Decisions of how many rows, and what type seeds to plant, encourages communication and discussion, so each child has a voice. Creating a schedule for each child to participate in weeding and harvesting inspires responsibility. Gardening can be done in containers or in ground, in backyards and community areas.
Things to Consider
Establishing exercise groups for children with behavioral problems may be challenging, but can be successful with the input and assistance of parents and professionals. Safety of the children, with appropriate adult to child ratio should be considered. The distance from home, length of time away and the goals of the group exercise are all factors in deciding which exercise group is best for your child.
References
- Aerobic Exercise Program Reduces Anger Expression Among Overweight Children; "Pediatric Exercise Sci.; Tkacz, J. et al.; 2008 Nov., 20(4): 390-401
- "Exercise and Physical Acitivity"; National Institutes of Health
- The Child in the Garden: An Evaluation of the benefits of school gardening; "Journal of Environmental Education";Blair, D.: 2009 40(2)15-38
