Other brain researchers agree. Psychiatrist John Ratey has called physical activity Miracle-Gro for the brain. The reasons for such a statement are many. Among them: moderate-to-vigorous physical activity “feeds” the brain with oxygen, water, and glucose, which optimizes its performance. (We would never consider depriving our bodies of food for days, weeks, or months at a time; yet when we fail to move, we’re depriving our brains of food.) Neurophysiologist Carla Hannaford tells us that learning by doing creates more neural networks in the brain than does mere sitting. Additionally, young children find active learning to be more fun and engaging, which means they’re more inclined to learn. And what better way to promote lifelong learning than by making it fun?