Exercise Options for Kids – ANYWHERE!

Our Earn A Bike spends quarter 2 focusing on importance of physical activity. Students learn about the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity daily and how to reach that goal. However, sometimes it’s not so easy. We like to give kids a few options for exercise that can be done anywhere! Whether inside or outside.. with friends or alone, here are some fun ways to get moving.

The activity cube

The Activity Cube has been a favorite in the classroom for years! Before moving to our more virtual platform, students put together their own activity cube to take home and use over winter break with their families. During 2020, when all students where schooling from home, we created this virtual game!

Other Exercise Options

Our encouragement to students is to find something active that they enjoy doing, and do it! Forcing yourself to do something that you don’t love is no fun, nor is it sustainable. We both encourage students to identify their ‘favorite fitness’, as well as give them options to explore on their own. A few include kids yoga, fitness break or a create a game that can be modified or personalized to your linking. Some kids love sports, often making it easier for them to reach their 60 minute goal. However, for those who are not into sports, it’s important to provide examples and ideas.

60 minutes each day

As mentioned above, 60 minutes each day is the recommended amount of physical activity for kids, daily. It’s not necessary for all 60 minutes to be done at once, which makes the goal much more accessible. The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends trying to move a little before school, at recess and after school to reach your goal!

Some Of Our Favorites

Some of our favorite ways kids can exercise anywhere include:

• Go On A Walk : we love walking because it’s great for getting some fresh air. It’s also a wonderful form transportation that is good for the environment.
• Dance Party (turn on your favorite tunes and get moving) We think GoNoodle is a great resource. Pop See Ko is a great place to start!
• Kids Games: ie, hopscotch, tag, duck-duck-goose, red rover, etc.
• Build Your Own Circuit: Grab a piece of scrap paper, your cell phone or a white board and make a list of 10-15 exercises (push ups, jumping backs, high jumps, squats…). Turn on some ‘pump up’ music and do 10-20 repetitions of each exercise. We love this option because you can modify it to the space and individual very easily!

Remember, the goal is 60 minutes per day! Now let’s go out and get moving.