All parents can agree that it’s important to get their kids moving, especially in today’s society where many children are glued to video games and TV. Incorporating some sort of physical activity into your child’s life will help them develop properly. You can enrol them in dance classes or extracurricular sports, but that’s not all. Add scooting to your list too! Scooting is a fun way to exercise your kids. Not only is it easy and low-impact, but it’s also great for their brains. As they learn how to balance on the scooter, they’re building new connections in their brain pathways. They're improving their physical coordination, which helps with their development, as well as their gross motor skills.
How to Choose One for Your Little One
The first thing to consider is that there are different types of scooters. There are kick scooters, three-wheeled scooters and electric models that require charging. If you're thinking about buying kick scooters for kid use, make sure it's age-appropriate. Most kick scooters come with guidelines as to what age they're appropriate for so be sure to check the label before purchasing one for your child. You should also make sure the handlebar height is right for your child's height. The handlebars should be at hip level to ensure safe riding and proper posture while riding the scooter. Be sure that your child knows how to operate the brakes properly and never use the scooter in a busy street or parking lot where there is traffic. Children should also wear helmets while riding their scooters. This is particularly important if they're riding in a public place where there are cars around. Wearing knee and elbow pads will also help protect your child from injury if he falls off the scooter.
It's Important for Children to Develop a Good Sense of Balance
When your child rides a scooter, they're using their legs, arms, and core to keep themselves balanced and moving forward. Research has shown that early childhood development of balance and coordination can help kids build skills they'll need to ride bikes later on. Riding a scooter is an easy way to build these skills.
Motor Skills are Essential to Childhood Development
Scooters require children to use both the large muscles in their arms, legs, and core as well as the small muscles in their hands, wrists, feet and ankles. This is what we call "cross-lateral movement." These two types of movements work together when we ride bikes or run (or walk). Cross lateral movement helps us develop our fine motor skills, important for school-age children as they learn how to write or complete other tasks requiring finger dexterity.
Early Development of the Muscles
Getting a child to start scooting early is a good idea because it will help them develop their muscles. Once your child starts scooting, you will notice that they move around with ease. Scooting will also help your kid to strengthen their ankles, knees and hips. You will notice that they can get on and off the scooter without falling. The exercise also helps to improve balance in children as they learn how to stay upright while kicking their legs backwards and forwards. Scooting is good for the body because it helps kids to maintain a proper posture.
Improves Mental Health
Riding scooters for kid use can contribute to a child's mental health. The act of riding provides enjoyment and improves self-esteem and confidence. The endorphins released from physical activity can also reduce stress and improve mood.
Promotes Socialization
A scooter provides an opportunity for kids to meet others, play in groups, develop social skills and build relationships. Children who ride together often make friends while sharing the experience of manoeuvring their scooters through various terrains. Group interactions can lead to cooperative play, building self-esteem and developing leadership skills.
Effective Decision-making Skills
Kids learn how to think about problems when they ride them around learning about how the handles work, how fast they go, how much ground they cover in a turn, and so on, skills that are also useful at home, at school, and in other situations where kids need to learn how things work or figure out what needs doing to fix them.
Help Improve Their Cardiovascular Endurance
A scooter is more than just a mode of transportation, it’s also a physical exercise tool that can help improve your child’s cardiovascular endurance. When your child rides his or her scooter, they will be using their body in ways that will help them improve their strength and stamina. Improved cardiovascular endurance will also help give your child more energy and make it easier for them to concentrate in school.
To Sum it All Up
Well, these three suggestions are just a few of the ways you can help your child improve their overall well-being. Physical activity is one of the best ways to empower kids to become more active and more engaged with the world around them. Scooting is not just fun, all the skills learned on a scooter will ultimately help your children’s cognitive and physical development by strengthening their gross motor skills and building new connections in their brain pathways.