Health Benefits of Skipping for your Kids

Do you remember skipping as a child? Lots of friends, rhymes, double jump, skip jumps, hop jump and many more exercises – must have been fun, right? Why not let your kids have the same fun and enthusiasm? Yes, introduce skipping to your kid. Ideally from the age of 4 or 5, and look for the immense benefits it can provide to your children at an emotional, mental and physical level.

Skipping is suitable for and benefits all age groups. In our previous posts, we’ve discussed the ill effects on health due to childhood obesity. Emphasizing on one point several times and in various dimensions would mean that it is of high significance to pay heed to. Skipping is one of the fitness exercises that could help to resolve this problem of childhood obesity and help such kids lead a normal healthy life.

Additionally research studies have shown that skipping is an efficient vehicle to burn excess calories. Depending on the speed and intensity that your kids skip with, they can burn off as much calorie as a 30 minutes brisk walk or run.

Physical benefits of Skipping

Regular skipping makes the heart muscles stronger and prevents the risk of cardio vascular disorders in childhood and later in life. When the heart gets stronger it works efficiently and pumps blood faster. Smooth circulation of blood increases the stamina and kids try to skip for a longer time and with an increased intensity.

Skipping with a greater intensity and for a longer time can gradually help them burn off the extra calories, quite beneficial for obese kids. The more they skip the more they burn off fat and healthier they become, waving a goodbye to all the obesity linked health diseases. Kids can maintain healthy bones by regular skipping, as jumping increases the level of calcium and bones require calcium for healthy development. Eventually risk of suffering from problems such as bone fragility and osteoporosis is reduced. Moreover skipping can help develop core stability, coordination and body awareness. Skipping improves hand and eye coordination, helps with nifty footwork and builds core strength. Since this physical activity engages the upper and lower body, it produces the benefits of an all-over workout.

Mental benefits of Skipping

Regular skipping can help proper functioning of brain. Research proves the increase in children’s concentration and memory through this activity, as skipping it increases blood flow to the brain. Kids gain problem solving skills and an overall improvement in their analytical and logical thinking capabilities. Through the different skipping skills and challenges, children gain new found confidence in their own physical abilities.

Psychological benefits of Skipping

Skipping skills and challenges such as partner skipping, double dutch skipping will ensure that children work together to succeed. This will give them the opportunity to work and learn as a team with other kids and improve their social skills. Learning something new while still having lots of fun, whether they are beginners or more advanced skippers, will boost a sense of self-esteem within them. Gradually they are encouraged to be more competitive and motivated to improve their skipping skills.

Kids Safety

To ensure that your kids gain the appropriate skipping skills and to motivate them to do so, you need to be sure of the quality of the equipment required for this skill. Skipping ropes should be of appropriate length for their height and should be comfortable enough to hold on to. Likewise a suitable footwear that would provide stability and comfort to those little feet is necessary. Choosing a proper surface for skipping is also essential, it should be non-slippery, cushioned surface such as carpet or a normal mosaic floor. Skipping practiced with correct technical guidelines prevent injuries to your kids legs especially the calves and shins (back and front portion of the lower leg).

Encourage your kid to get involved in other forms of exercises as well to ensure they get the best of fitness in their growing years. Various fitness centers offer separate sessions for kids in groups.