"Mens sana in corpore sano." Our Ladybirds do a little sport every day, for a healthy way of life — and the fun is in proportion.
A little, but every day, is the part that counts. One hour of sport a week does not form a habit; a few minutes of movement every day, at the same time, turns into a reflex. And at this age reflexes are picked up quickly and stay for a long while.
Movement also has a direct effect on the rest of the programme. After a few minutes of running about, the children settle to work more easily and last longer at a task that demands attention. It is not a break taken out of learning time but one of its conditions.