5 Reasons Why Physical Education Should Be An Important Part Of Your Curriculum

Physical education gets a bad rap sometimes. It’s not seen as a “real” subject like English or Math.

It’s seen as a time-waster and a place where students can slack off instead of doing schoolwork. This perception couldn’t be further from the truth.

Here are five reasons why physical education is an essential part of a well-rounded education:

1. It Encourages Healthy Habits

First let’s state the obvious: kids who get daily exercise are healthier. Unfortunately, most of them aren’t getting that exercise at home. PE is a block of time each day that a student can be active with no additional distractions. No chores or homework. No video games or smartphones. A comprehensive, engaging PE program will go a step further and encourage students to develop healthy habits on their own time.

2. It Reduces Stress

Many parents and teachers worry that PE is stressful for students, but the opposite is actually true. Physical activity and sports have been shown to decrease stress levels, and less stressed students perform better both academically and socially. Truthfully, most of the anxieties regarding PE exist only in the mind of adults. A good program will be set up in a way that challenges gifted athletes while still providing a fun, safe, and competitive environment for everyone else. Kids strive on this kind of challenge.

3. It Encourages Prosocial Behavior

Many assume that sports are nothing but trash talk and angry flare-ups. The truth is that playing on teams and interacting with others in a competitive environment can actually encourage students to behave more positively towards each other. Sure, you may get the occasional negative interaction, but learning to deal with that is also an important skill. Ultimately, students who get PE daily will come out better socialized and better equipped for the real world.

4. It Promotes Good Sleep

It’s important to be tired at the end of the day. Otherwise, your sleep suffers. Physical education is a great way to tire students out and ensure that they are going to bed at a decent time.

5. It Helps Students Concentrate

There are no distractions on the court. The situation demands your full attention. In an age where students are constantly exposed to television, smartphones, laptops and other addictive technologies this can be a godsend. Kids need time away from their screens. It helps them learn how to live without a million different things tugging at them.

It’s important to value your PE program, but it’s not enough on its own. You need to get students to value their physical education as well. But that’s easier said than done when you have so many things competing for their attention. That’s why it’s important to change things up. Instead of playing the same games on the same equipment over and over, try something new.

360 Hoops is an exciting new product designed to help you engage your students and develop your current athletes. The 360 Hoop gives you three hoops to work with, allowing more players to get into the game at once and opening up new avenues for drills and games. By making 360 Hoops a part of your PE program, you’ll be better equipped to instill a lifelong love of fitness and sportsmanship in all of your students — no matter their skill level.