When it comes to choosing the right New Jersey (NJ) preschool, you want a set of values and educational standards that will help to develop your child as a whole. This includes health and exercise as well as educational development.

Earlier this month, researchers in Seattle conducted a study revealing that on average, preschoolers only get about 48 minutes of exercise a day, although some studies suggest they should get at least two hours.

At that age, exercise is crucial for preventing obesity, and also helps to develop motor skills. In addition, movement and play amongst kids in preschool helps them to develop social skills and develop socially in a group.

If you have any questions or need more information about kids exercising in preschool, contact the tops preschools in NJ in order to find out more information about what’s best for your child developmentally and educationally.

It’s known that childhood obesity has been increasing. Here are some startling statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• The percentage of children ages 6 to 11 who were obese increased from 7 percent in 1980 to nearly 18 percent in 2012.
• The percentage of obese adolescents ages 12 to 19 grew from 5 percent to nearly 21 percent.

Here at the Home Away From Home Academy (HAFHA), understand that your preschooler needs exercise in order to optimally develop both educationally and emotionally. We try to combat the above trend in these two ways:

Recess and Playtime

Recess and playtime is key for child development. It is the most important for helping to develop socially and keep them moving during the day in preschool.

In a supervised environment, children are allowed to freely play with their classmates, make up and games and generally just let loose for a break during a very structured and learning intensive environment.

Organized Exercise and Team Building

Organize exercise games, team sports and team building exercises are another version of play, but are a way for teachers and caretakers to help develop children in a more structured environment while still getting them up and moving around.

Playing sports like soccer, tag, and other educational and team building games are helpful for children to flourish while also staying healthy and moving.

HAFHA is helping to keep kids moving, and we’re doing it as one of the top preschools in NJ for a good reason. The above study focused locally on10 preschools in the Seattle area and tracked kids’ activities across the day for a total of 50 days. Nearly 100 children wore devices to follow their activity levels so they could find more information about their movement and activities.

The children were provided opportunities for active play only about 12 percent of the time. Naptime took up about 29 percent of their day. Kids spent the rest of their time eating or in sedentary activities. They played outside for a little more than a half hour outside on a typical day.

This information is a little startling. Kids are spending just above 10 percent of their days moving, and HAFHA is helping to combat this problem with our nurturing environment that values exercise as both a way to keep kids healthy and develop them educationally and emotionally. We’re going to help combat this stereotype, as we believe that kids need exercise to help them learn as a whole.

The Home Away From Home Academy (HAFHA) is owned by Carmine and Phyllis Visone, and aims to provide the right kind of play and guidance to educate children as a whole, giving them a more individualistic education experience. To find out more about how you can enroll your kids, contact us.