We all know that daily exercise is good for the body, but did you know that it is also just as good for your brain? So by giving your body a good workout, you're actually giving your brain one too.

I'm going to tell you the clear and simple facts about how exercise affects the brain. Exercise makes greater quantities of blood and oxygen flow to the brain. Because of this, people who exercise regularly have better short-term memories and show faster reactions to things. People who exercise also show higher creativity levels than non-exercisers. Besides that, exercise causes the release of a brain chemical that puts people in good moods.

Have you ever been "stuck" when you're trying to solve a problem or felt so overwhelmed that you didn't know what to do? Try learning (and using) arm and leg crossover exercises that force both sides of your brain to "talk" to each other. If you're wondering what some examples of crossovers are, "pat your head and rub your belly" would be an excellent example. Other examples could be things like marching in place and patting the opposite knee at the same time, touching your opposite shoulders at the same time, or touching opposite elbows or heels. Lots of books talk about these activities, too.

As I've been saying, regular exercise is very important to your brain. But the most important part of regular exercise is that it is regular. Bursts of once in awhile exercise aren't really going to do you much good. Make sure that your exercise is daily, and that you don't just do it once in awhile. Guidelines say that children should have at least 30 to 60 minutes of total physical activity almost every day. Even better is if you have more than 60 minutes every day.

Here are a few suggestions for using exercise to build your brain power:

• Use music with movement every day. Try to remember that dance is a great way to exercise, too.
• Exercise is fun! Try running around on a playground or taking hikes or bike rides. That's good exercise, and it's fun.
• Go to a local gym, YMCA, or YWCA. They'll have loads of exercise programs for kids of all different ages.

Now you've read all about what exercise can do for your brain, so get up, go outside, and EXERCISE!

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