When children are regularly physically active through play, their brains grow faster and operate at increased capacity. For Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas, the mental aspect of soccer is just as important as the physical skill. “Soccer is a free-flowing game,” Vargas said. “It’s always moving. It’s always going. You don’t have any breaks. So just being able to stay sharp once you’re tired and not losing your focus is very important.” Sports and working on a team have allowed Vargas to learn how to navigate relationships with different personalities and attitudes and adapt to various environments. In addition to physical conditioning, he works on getting stronger mentally. “Honestly I think mental training will get you a lot further than physical and on the field training because there’s always going to be talented players,” he said. “There’s always going to be great players. But I think what makes a difference is the mental aspect of the game.” Swedish pediatric sports medicine provider Dr. Jordan Orr says our brain’s ability to adapt and learn new skills is improved through physical activity and exercise. Kids with a higher level of aerobic fitness have better working memory, attention and response speeds. Learning new sports can build pathways in the brain to make it easier to learn and retain knowledge in the future. Dr. Orr says while sports are proven to be beneficial in childhood, any activity that is physically active is good for the brain. “I think anything that gets your body moving that the kids enjoy and will stick with is much more important than something they’re not going to enjoy and they’ll give up and end up sitting on the couch,” she said. Sleep quality is also improved in kids who are physically active, and that can allow them to cement things they’ve learned and be prepared to learn more the next day. “I really think cardiovascular fitness is the huge part, from a medical standpoint, for brain development,” Dr. Orr said. Find pediatric care that’s close to you and learn more about brain health on the Providence Swedish website. Sponsored by Providence Swedish. Segment Producer Rebecca Perry. Watch New Day Northwest 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.