Pedalling To Holistic Development: Benefits Of Cycling For Kids
In today’s digital epoch, where everything gravitates towards digital screens and digital memory, the sedentary lifestyle has escalated faster than the speeding cursor, and human memory has degraded faster than the autumn leaves in the brisk wind.
Being stuck in a place, glued to the screen, tends to reduce cognitive development in children. This passive mental engagement of the children hinders the potential functioning of the brain, like memory retention, information processing, focus, and attention span, thus also impacting their social, mental, emotional, and physical well-being in the long run.
Therefore, the importance of cycling for child development is immense when it comes to the overall development of children.
According to studies, it is believed that children who develop a habit of bicycle riding since childhood continue the habit into adulthood, thus preventing the development of various ailments like heart diseases, malignancies, obesity, and diabetes.
Bicycle riding is a fun and adventurous activity that imparts independence in the kids to explore, learn, and grow.
There are various reasons for children to indulge in bicycle riding because besides being a low-impact workout, it forges good social bonds and develops various essential skills to lead a healthy life.
Why children should ride bicycles
According to the research of YMCA, people who incorporate an active lifestyle at an early age score 32% higher in their overall well-being and development. All children must indulge in any physical activity of their choice for at least 60 minutes daily, according to the National Health Service of the UK.
The advantages of cycling for children extend beyond the engagement of just the physical body to mental and muscle integration, leading to complex motor coordination between the mind and muscles.
Directing the children at an early age towards healthy habits opens an opportunistic pathway for them which is one of the very essential reasons for children to ride bicycles.
Some important benefits of bicycle riding that forge a strong personality is:
1. Healthy Heart
Bicycling is an aerobic exercise that activates and strengthens the heart muscles with time. This physical cardio activity improves the effective pumping of blood and oxygen throughout the body.
This regular pedaling results in the strengthening of heart muscles, lowering of blood pressure, raising of HDL (good) cholesterol, and lowering of LDL (bad) cholesterol. It also promotes loss of bad weight and enhances healthy weight gain.
In the long run, it balances out healthy habits, fitness, and a stronger heart, thus promoting distress and relaxation. All this is really beneficial in supporting good cardiovascular health.
2. Healthy Muscles
Cycling helps in the strengthening of muscles. The kids who cycle regularly are known to have more muscle mass than the ones who do not. The leaner the muscles, the faster the metabolism, and thus, healthier the children.
The cycling activity strengthens the front thigh muscles and calves during the downstroke of pedaling and strengthens the hamstrings during the upstroke of peddling. It also helps strengthen the hip muscles, stabilize the pelvis and torso, and assist in maintaining balance.
The upper body muscles, including the shoulder muscles, help in steering and balance; the upper back muscles stabilize blades and posture; and the forearms help in maintaining grip.
Overall, regular cycling helps in resistance and endurance training with full-body engagement, contributing to overall muscle development.
3. Healthy Bones
The skeleton of the human body develops until the age of 20, thus undergoing the growth and development of bones.
Regular physical activity activates bone cells and builds new bones and tissues, thus, enhancing the bone density. This higher bone density reduces the risk of fractures and grave injuries.
It also helps in the proper muscle and bone coordination to make the overall movements smooth and reduces the risk of injury.
4. Healthy Mind
Physical activity is closely linked to being a stress reliever. When the children engage themselves in any physical activity, their bodies release endorphins that promote a happy feeling and reduce the feeling of pain.
Cycling outdoors helps the kids enjoy the moment and relish nature, besides developing mindfulness and social connections. Playing outdoors also boosts self-confidence, independence, problem-solving skills, and social interactions in children.
Cortisol hormone is known to release while peddling the cycle that raises BP to glucose levels in response to stress in the body system. With regular physical activity, this Cortisol level normalizes, thus pushing your child to stay calm in stressful situations.
5. Emotional Health
Physical activity releases endorphins in our systems that are natural mood elevators and pain relievers. These hormones promote feelings of happiness, relaxation, and well-being, thus eliminating stress with a proper sleep cycle and supporting your child’s emotional stability and resilience.
Cycling also gives a sense of achievement due to the independent strolling throughout the neighborhood, mastering the technique of safety and repair in case of an emergency, thus enhancing self-esteem and mood.
Physical activity ends up building a healthy coping mechanism in children to manage stress and navigate certain emotional challenges in their lives in the future.
It also instills a sense of discipline and consistency in children, which in turn guides them during their student years and important decision-making in the future.
6. Social health
Riding cycles instill a sense of responsibility in terms of safety and adventure. Children cycling around the neighborhood become good friends, and thus, it promotes positive peer relationships and teamwork within them.
It is also highly imperative to teach children about the various essential parts of the bicycle in order to repair it in case of an emergency, like re-adjusting the chain, aligning the handle and seat, etc., so that they can manage themselves in case they are alone.
It is believed that children who reach school by bicycle tend to be more socially responsive than those who do not. That feeling of accomplishment to reach the school by self-peddling encourages the children to stay confident.
7. Environment health
Besides personal development, cycling also instills a sense of social responsibility towards environmental sustainability in children. It motivates them to opt for healthier means of transportation and do their part towards the reduction of global warming.
This encourages the children to adapt an eco-conscious mindset towards sustainable living and environmental stewardship, thus preparing them for the challenges of the future.
8. Overall health
Bicycling keeps the children active in all senses, be it in social, mental, emotional, or physical aspects. It makes the children more confident, happier, and healthier to tackle various challenges in their lives.
It also directs your children towards a balanced spatial awareness, problem-solving attitude; learning balance and coordination, discipline, and stress management, thus helping your kids tackle a multitude of challenges in the future.
Conclusion
The benefits of cycling for children are immense; it not only lets your kids enjoy and learn about the importance of the environment and fresh air, but also help in their overall development.
It is a potential familial and peer bonding activity that not only makes you spend quality time together but also develops a sense of consciousness about a healthy life in your children’s minds at an earlier stage of life.
Riding around the neighborhood enhances the imagination of your children, thus increasing their power to observe things around them and respond to them accordingly.
Besides being fun, it is a power-packed holistic activity that lets your children explore their individuality, creativity, adventure, risk-taking, safety precautions, and various cognitive developments.
So, what are you waiting for? When you can pick up those two-wheeler fun rides with your kids and go out on a healthy, adventurous stroll. Thus, forging amazing bonds and preparing them to survive this world in the process!
