Everyone knows that exercise makes children healthier – but research suggests that it may also support brain function and learning.

Research over the past two decades suggests that exercise may also help improve children’s mental function, particularly executive functions. These are mental skills that help children control their behaviour, remember information, pay attention and adapt to new situations. They are important for learning, everyday activities and academic success.

Can exercise improve children’s brain function?

Studies have found that moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as running, cycling and swimming, may improve children's cognitive performance. Research has also found short-term benefits following aerobic exercise, while longer-term programmes may improve aspects of attention and cognitive flexibility.

Exercise does not necessarily have to be strenuous to be beneficial. Research in kindergarten children found that activities involving coordination and movement improved reaction times and response accuracy, suggesting that different types of exercise may benefit executive function.

How does exercise affect learning and behaviour?

Exercise can increase blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain, and aerobic exercise may also influence brain structure and function. Team games such as basketball and volleyball may provide additional benefits by combining physical activity with mental engagement and social interaction.

Some schools have incorporated physical activity into classroom learning. For example, the TAKE-10! programme combines movement with academic activities, such as using jump-rope actions to teach basic mathematics. The programme has been associated with improvements in some measures of academic performance and classroom behaviour.

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Are children getting enough exercise?

Despite the benefits, not all children are getting enough physical activity. Research among Singaporean children has shown that many did not meet the recommended levels of daily physical activity, while another Singapore study found that daily step counts among young people were below the recommended levels.

Outdoor play and physical activity can also be displaced by screen time. Children may spend a considerable amount of their free time watching television, using computers, playing video games or using other electronic devices.

Screen time and children’s health

Singapore's Ministry of Health (MOH) provides age-specific guidance on screen use for children. Current recommendations are:

• Under 18 months: No screen use, except for interactive video chatting.

• 18 months to 6 years: Up to 1 hour of screen use per day outside school.

• 7 to 12 years: Less than 2 hours of screen use per day, unless related to schoolwork.

For children aged 18 months to 6 years, parents are strongly encouraged to avoid screen use during meals and before bedtime.

Exergames, or active video games that require children to move their bodies to control the game, have also been explored as a way to combine screen-based activity with physical activity. Some studies have found that exergames may also benefit cognitive performance. However, given the potential health effects of excessive screen use, exergames should be used in moderation. Children should still be encouraged to take part in a variety of active, real-life activities.

Can exercise help protect children’s eyesight?

Spending time outdoors may help protect children against myopia (short-sightedness). Research suggests that spending more time outdoors may reduce the risk of developing myopia. In Singapore, HealthHub recommends that children spend at least two hours outdoors each day, as outdoor time has been shown to have a protective effect against the development and progression of myopia.

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What can parents do?

Parents can encourage children to build more movement into their everyday lives. This does not always have to involve organised sport. Walking, cycling, outdoor play, swimming, team sports and other activities that children enjoy can all help them become more active.

Reducing prolonged periods of screen time and encouraging regular outdoor activity can also help children develop healthier habits.

The aim is not simply to make children exercise more, but to help them develop healthy, active habits that can benefit their physical health, brain function and overall wellbeing.

References

1. Tomporowski PD, McCullick B, Pendleton DM, Pesce C. Exercise and children’s cognition: The role of exercise characteristics and a place for metacognition. Journal of Sport and Health Science 2015; 4:47-55.

2. Hillman et al. Effect of the FITKids randomized controlled trial on executive control and brain function. Pediatrics 2014;134(4):e1063-71.

3. Chang YK, Tsai YJ, Chen TT, Hung TM. The impacts of coordinative exercise on executive function in kindergarten children: an ERP study.Exp Brain Res 2013 ; 225:187-96.

4. Hillman CH, Erickson KI, Kramer AF. Be smart, exercise your heart: exercise effects on brain and cognition. Nat Rev Neurosci 2008; 9:58-65.

5. Pesce et al.Physical activity and mental performance in preadolescents: effects of acute exercise on free-recall memory. Ment Health Phy Act 2009;2:16-22.

6. Kibbe et al. Ten years of TAKE 10! ®: integrating physical activity with academic concepts in elementary school classrooms.Prev Med 2011; 52:S43-50.

7. Wang C, Chia Y, Quek JJ. Patterns of physical activity, sedentary behaviours and psychological determinants of physical activity among Singaporean school children.  International Journal of Sports and Exercise Psychology 2006;4(3):227-49.

8. Chia M. Pedometer-assessed physical activity of Singaporean youths. Preventive Medicine 2010;50(5-6):262-4

9. Best JR. Exergaming immediately enhances children’s executive function.Dev Psychol 2012; 48:1501-10.

10. Parssinen O, Lyyra AL. Myopia and myopic progression among schoolchildren: a three-year follow-up study. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1993;34:2794–2802.

11. Singapore Ministry of Health. Guidance on screen use in children. Updated January 2025.

12. Singapore HealthHub. Healthy Eyes, Clear Vision.