Schools around Australia are increasingly purchasing table tennis tables for use by students.
Why would they be doing that, you ask? Well, it’s not so the students can slack off from their study – in fact, it’s for quite the opposite reason. The benefits of playing table tennis are well known and are backed by scientific studies. Playing table tennis not only has physical benefits but also mental benefits that can help students achieve improved academic outcomes. In addition to all that, table tennis is also a whole lot of fun and is a big hit among a vast array of students. It is a wholesome sport that can be easily enjoyed by virtually anyone.
Mental benefits of table tennis for school students
Table tennis tables began being placed in offices and other workplaces around the world in the 1990s and it was not because employers wanted their staff to be less productive. Rather, businesses realised that table tennis can promote strategic and creative thinking, increase alertness and concentration, stimulate increased brain function and improve long-term memory. Increasingly, schools around Australia are now catching on and realising that these same mental benefits of playing table tennis can also help students in their academic outcomes. Overseas studies have shown that primary school students achieved improved attention levels after regularly playing table tennis over a six-week period. The impressive results achieved in the study were similar for both boys and girls.
It is also well known that exercise releases endorphins, which can improve mood, sleep, self-esteem and even help relieve anxiety and depression. There are also social benefits to playing table tennis, with the opportunity to make new friends through a shared interest. More focused students in the classroom who have increased brain function, improved long-term memory and are happier are clearly going to achieve better academic performance. It is therefore a no-brainer for schools to offer – and promote the use of – table tennis tables for student use.
There are significant physical benefits for students, too
Sitting at a desk with heads buried in textbooks all day at school is not ideal for children, who are also becoming less active when they are at home. The Australian Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines recommend that children aged 5 to 17 engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. However, studies have shown that only 23 per cent of children aged 5 to 14 are meeting these recommendations. Children are instead spending well over two hours each day on screens, with this shifting trend away from physical activity increasingly worrying health experts. Regular participation in table tennis can help improve children’s overall health by supporting bone strength, muscle control, muscle strength and cardiovascular endurance.
Table tennis also helps improve hand-eye coordination, balance, reflexes and predictive skills. Additionally, instilling good habits around physical activity from a young age may improve the long-term health of children, with exercise playing a key role in the prevention of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
The best table tennis tables for schools
If your school is considering purchasing some table tennis tables to reap the academic benefits for your students, look no further than PONGO’s range of ‘All-Weather’ tables. Proudly Australian Made, our tables are perfect for Aussie schools, with strong table tops in bright and modern designs, sturdy legs and a fixed aluminium net. Our tables are designed to be used outdoors as well as indoors and won’t be worried by the harsh Australian sun or even some heavy rain. Order a PONGO table tennis table for your school today.
