New White Paper From The Little Gym Affirms Early Physical Activity Benefits Last a Lifetime

Child Development Specialist Urges Families to Consider Parenting Resolutions to Help Children Build Healthy Habits in the New Year

The clean slate of a New Year is a great time to reevaluate and start fresh. While as many as half of us will make resolutions for ourselves, the new year is a chance for parents to begin making changes that will have a positive impact on their children's lives as well. A new white paper from The Little Gym, the world's premier experiential learning and physical development center for kids, confirms that the best way to help kids enjoy a healthy life is to establish active habits as early as possible.

"Launching a Lifetime of Healthy Habits" is prepared from research compiled by Dr. Cheryl K. Olsen, a former Harvard Medical School faculty member who specializes in child development and health behaviors. The research findings show how encouraging exercise and physical activity not only offers immediate benefits, but also has a long-term impact on a child's well-being as an adult. Activity and exercise patterns formed in preschool tend to persist among preteens and beyond, and various studies show how even moderate exercise can promote skeletal health and enhance cardio-respiratory fitness well into adulthood.

Making physical activity fun is the best way to encourage children. According to multiple studies reviewed by Olsen, kids get and stay active when they feel confident about physical skills, have opportunities for active play with peers, develop a sense of belonging to a group, and feel supported in an encouraging environment.