The topic of what children should prioritize between studying and doing physical activities borders on the interest of the child in question and the nature of those physical activities. I personally disagree with the notion that study time should be reduced, and I will give my reasons why.
From my perspective, studying plays a major role in shaping and enlightening the young generation; it sets a solid mental foundation. Saying that children should spend less time reading will, to a large extent, jeopardize their future.
Furthermore, I am of the opinion that parents should even encourage more study time. This creates an avenue where the kids are preoccupied with work that proves significant, rather than urging them to partake in physical activities that may contribute very little to their growth as scholars.
Not to entirely dismiss the part physical activities play in the learning process as a whole – after all, there’s a saying that goes “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” – engaging in physical activities opens a separate pathway in the brain. It relaxes the nerves and is essential after long periods of study. It can be used as a means of delayed gratification for studying earnestly, not as a substitute for it. That way, they look forward to studying with the hope of getting to play afterwards.
In conclusion, study time is very essential and yields far more benefits to kids in the long run than physical activities, except when these physical activities are also educative.