This Battery Charging Jump Rope Might Just Get Your Child to Exercise More

How much exercise does your preschooler get on a regular school day? A study by the University of Washington shows that, on average, preschoolers only get about 48 minutes of exercise, and that’s not enough. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends kids get an hour or more of physical activity daily.

“Exercise has tremendous mental benefits,” says Dr. Joel Brenner, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness.

Exercise gets the blood flowing which lead to better thinking skills, gives kids more confidence, puts them in better moods and helps them sleep better.

In an interview with SmartParenting.com.ph, Lara Palileo, program and curriculum development head of The Little Gym Philippines and officer-in-charge of The Little Gym in Alabang, said, “Keeping children physically active is both important and necessary. Physical activity is not only key to good health, but it is also a must for children because it promotes and increases brain activity.”

Irene Nicolas-Recio, former preschool teacher at Prep Camp and now stay-at-home mom, stresses the importance of physical activity for preschoolers. “Being physically active can improve self-esteem,” she says. “It can also help teach your children how to relax, improve self control, and develop a sense of discipline.”

But the question is, how do we get our children to get up and play when they’re glued to tablets and mobile phones? By using the PULSE!

The PULSE looks like an ordinary jump rope but it’s actually a battery charger. The jump rope stores up kinetic energy when it’s played with and then uses this to charge devices that you plug into it. Just 15 minutes of skipping gives you enough power to light up a LED lamp for 2 hours.

Photo Source: uncharteredplay.com

What’s great is that for every one of these sold, the folks from Unchartered Play, makers of PULSE, will also provide one to a kid in a developing country. For the 1.2 billion people worldwide who live without electricity, 2 hours of light for 15 minutes of play is a big help.

So, here’s the game plan. When your child’s device hits low battery levels, tell him he can only charge it using the PULSE. If he refuses, you can always entice him by getting up and playing outside with him too. Revive your childhood memories and skip rope with him. Teach him some skipping songs while you’re at it. Everyone could benefit from a bit of exercise after all.


Photo of kid jumping rope: Patrick/Flickr

Sources:
July 13, 2015. "This Jump Rope Brings Electricity To The Developing World (And Your Phone) When You Play With It ". fatherly.com
May 18, 2015. "Preschoolers Aren’t Getting Enough Exercise, Study Says". time.com
May 8, 2013. "Your Kid's Brain on Exercise". webmd.com