Playground News - Girls are Less Active Than Boys
Categories: Teens & tweens, Health & safety, Education
Visiting my daughter's kindergarten class at recess, it's hard to tell exactly who is playing with who. Boys and girls are everywhere, climbing, crawling, and chasing. But according a recent study, by age 10, boys are more likely to be the ones exercising at recess, while girls are more likely to break off into smaller groups and socialize instead.It's a trend that follows kids into adult life too. A second study found that even into their 70s, men are considerably more active than women. In our own home, I tend to be guilty of putting off exercise for other obligations, while my husband bikes to work every single day.
While there are exceptions to every rule, I suspect this study isn't too far off base. The question now is, what do we do about it? By my freshman year in high school, I hated P.E., yet a friend and I went jogging every day after school. Maybe it's not that girls don't like to exercise, but that we need to reconsider what kind of exercise is offered to them. I would much rather have learned lifelong healthy habits in gym class, rather than be humiliated every time I had to serve a volleyball.
Hopefully, this study gives teachers and parents some food for thought. Do you notice a difference between how boys and girls play when they reach the tween years?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
SKL 1-08-2009 @ 2:33PM
Let's not jump to the conclusion that this is a "problem." There can be a gender difference that is natural and healthy.
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ame s 1-08-2009 @ 4:31PM
When I was 10, I'd stopped being interested in playing outside and more apt to stay indoors and read Nancy Drew and the Bobsey Twins.
My almost-11 year old daughter is much more active than I was at her age. She plays soccer during the spring and fall seasons, and plays soccer and basketball with the boys (and some other girls) during recess at school. I'm glad.
I was a little chubby at 10 and wasn't interested in any sport. At 11, I was pushing fat. I'd rather my daughter be as she is, not the least bit interested in doing her nails or wearing clothes more stylish than her school uniforms and always sporting a pony-tail.
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serena 1-08-2009 @ 11:39PM
What Mom does:
Mom spends most of her *spare* time running ragged to keep the family and house hold running smoothly. Making sure activities are organized and attended, meals are planned and prepared, house hold chores are completed. Once everyone has gotten where they need to be and are fed and happy, mom takes a break to sit with a book or a cup of tea.
What the kids see:
Mom sitting down reading.
What Dad does:
Dad goes to work and when he gets home, he entertains the kids while mom preps the meal. He runs the dog out while mom runs the bath. He runs around the yard helping kids with soccer moves while Mom organizes attendance in soccer...and baseball...and hockey.....and ...and... Dad takes the kids outside to play so that mom can finish folding the laundry, cleaning the bathroom,
What the kids see:
Dad constantly in motion.
Kids learn what they see and what they live. It's no wonder that girls are less physically active.
Personal opinion is that it's up to parents to ensure that their kids (both boys and girls) have a good foundation of physical activity so that they have something to draw from as they get older. An 11 year old who's never been asked to play competitive sports is of course going to shy away from them.
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