'Read And Ride' Helps Kids To Improve Their Health As Well As Learning Ability

The program is called 'Read and Ride' and it's making kids smarter and healthier at the same time., according to upworthy.

While riding a stationary bike in the gymnasium, Scott Ertl read a book and also got an idea. He found that the only time he managed to read was when he was on an exercise bike.

Being a counselor at an elementary school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, he got a brainwave: "I bet a bunch of kids would find it fun to read while exercising...we could get some exercise bikes and give it a shot." The principal at his school, Ward Elementary, was on board, so he hatched a plan and put it in motion.

Hence, he installed a bike in the room, which made him think of more.

With the help of Craigslist and garage sales, he outfitted an entire spare classroom with stationary exercise bikes.

He got a number of teachers queueing up to sign up for classes of 15- to 20-minute blocks, for which the students brought books and educational magazines to read while riding. The program was called 'Read and Ride'.

Hence, it soon began to make waves. Children loved it and read away.

Were there any learning benefits attached to Read and Ride? The company put some information together that showed that it improved reading test scores as well as proficiency. The survey found that spending more time on the tests helped in upgrading state reading tests.

"Riding exercise bikes makes reading fun for many kids who get frustrated when they read," said Scott Ertl, who started the program. "They have a way to release that frustration they feel while they ride."

The combination of reading and exercising, the article said, "burns calories, but it turns out that it also helps students learn better," according to educationworld.

The programs have been implemented in 30 states across the country, with educators chasing them. Apart from exercise bikes, these rooms also use "under-desk ellipticals, something called Bouncy Bands, and exercise balls used as chairs are showing up in classrooms, too."