January is National Hobby Month and a wonderful month for introducing our children to outdoor winter hobbies like:
· skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing,
· ice-fishing, ice-castle building, sledding,
· Hockey, skating, snow tubing, and even dogsledding…
When the days get warmer think about introducing:
· backpacking, camping,
· cycling, mountain biking,
· photographing, hiking,
· Sand-castle building, swimming, and more…
A hobby that promotes exercise promotes health, cognitive function and the development of new memory cells.
Exercise and Brain Health in Children
Sibey and Etnier (2003) concluded in their research review that a significant positive relationship exists between physical activity and cognitive function in children aged 4-18 years. They noted that physical activity improves a child's perceptual skills, intelligence quotient, achievement, verbal tests, mathematic tests, developmental level and academic readiness.
Hillman and colleagues (2008) findings with brain function in children indicate that exercise early in life can improve cognitive health during childhood and this may extend throughout one's adult lifespan. Hillman hypothesize the mechanism of this cognitive reserve may be attributed to enhanced cortical (i.e., the cerebral cortex which is involved with higher order processing such as information processing and language) development, promoting lasting changes in brain function and structure.
Walking and hiking are particularly brain-friendly because they both increase blood circulation to the head while encouraging you to do two things at once (work out and look around). Add to the benefits by exploring a different route; seeing new places forces your brain to build neural connections. To encourage more Americans to take a hike, the National Park Service is waiving admission on select days in 2013. For free days go to:http://www.nps.gov/search/index.htm?page=1&query=free+entrance+days+2013
R.R.Cratty
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