Want a terrific opportunity to earn money for your school and help create a better lifestyle for parents, teachers and children alike?  The Move with Meâ„¢ fundraiser embodies our mission, to bridge the exercise gap early in life,  and extends the opportunity to the whole community.  This offer is a win win situation.  Schools get a refund on parent purchases of DVDs for health and fitness resources at school. Parents get an affordable movement enrichment resource for home use that requires no equipment or special supervision. Kids get more daily active play that is engaging, empowering and educational. Registered schools/ organizations receive everything they need to participate for a return of 25 or 30 % depending upon the option they choose. To sign-up, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Let's Move Foundation recommends that all children get a minimum of 60 minutes of vigorous play and instructional exercise daily to maintain a healthy weight and to optimize physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development. Unfortunately, many families and even schools cannot fulfill this mandate due to lack of resources, time, safety, weather, etc. With this fundraiser, Move with Me â„¢ is committed to filling that exercise gap and delivering quality, research-based, classroom developed follow-along exercise classes for the price of a DVD.

All 10 Move With Meâ„¢ Action Adventures DVDs are approximately 30 minutes long and include a warm-up, movement story or yoga class, relaxation with visualization and new skills review. The movement and instruction is informed by PE standards, exercise science, yoga, and Brain Gym®. Each DVD combines a story with movement instruction and teaches self-care and self-reflection skills called, Adventure Skills. 

Mind-body science shows that active play provides the best preparation for elementary school readiness. Fit bodies mean fit minds. 

The Cognitive Benefits of Play and Movement: Effects on the Learning Brain

â—¦Active play promotes creative problem solving, 
â—¦Active play facilitates better language skills
â—¦Active play improves memory 
â—¦Active play improves focus, attention and sustained concentration
â—¦Active play improves impulse control
â—¦Active play improves balance and coordination 
â—¦Active play regulates body weight 
â—¦Active play calms, sooths and reduces self-reported anxiety
*Product photos available upon request.

About: Move With Meâ„¢ Action Adventures (www.move-with-me.com) was founded by Mom-Movement Educator-Entrepreneur, Leah Kalish and her award-winning TV Writer/Producer husband Bruce Kalish. After creating many successful activity and curriculum products for other companies such as Gaiam, Barefoot Books, Imaginazium and Yoga Ed., Leah teamed up with Bruce to produce story and movement enrichment media. Dedicated to her father, Howard Simpson, their intention is to engage, empower and educate the whole child through play.

The pictures posted are of our recent debut at the Mandeville, LA Barnes and Noble.  Taking Possum and Monkey to the next level with a new MwMâ„¢ Action Adventure story!   

But what I really want to share is another good research article I've come across.  Dr. John Ratey, author of Spark:  The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, is a fellow I like to keep a close eye on.  His latest book compiles in a very digestible read, the groundbreaking research done over the last 15-25 years to validate the link between physical activity and cognitive function.  His quotes are peppered over,  under and through most of the articles written on exercise and the adolescent brain from 2008 (when Spark was published) to now. The article I came across tonight was such a good summary that I've pulled a section for your perusal.

From ADDitudeMag.com - An ADHD Med without Side Effects
"Routine physical activity firms up the brain. “Exercise turns on the attention system, the so-called executive functions — sequencing, working memory, prioritizing, inhibiting, and sustaining attention,” says Ratey, author of Spark (Little, Brown). “On a practical level, it causes kids to be less impulsive, which makes them more primed to learn."

 

I have a child, my eight year old daughter, "diagnosed" as a kindergardener an ADHD child.  Now in 2nd grade and doing very well, I've medicated her with exercise  since the git go.  It did take the "official" diagnosis to get me to buckle down and really do the work I'm trained to do with my own daughter.  She was/is my biggest inspiration and my most challenging client.  When we do not get out of the house for a minimum 30 minute playtime in the morning before school, everybody suffers.  Next year I'm taking the homeschooling leap, for many reasons, one of those giving ourselves the opportunity to delve more effectively and completely into exercise as an effective medication for a balanced life.

Warmly, Wendy Piret

Writer and Instructor MwMAA

 Our progressive and cost-effective movement enrichment programs make exercise fun AND educational!  Check out our  Kids yoga & Children's fitness DVDs, perfect for Preschool exercise  for children up to 7 years old!