Ideas to keep kids moving!
- Learning Resources Posted On Feb 22, 2021 | Family Time
With playgrounds off limits, no playdates on the calendar, and all sports and activities postponed, what is a parent to do to keep children active?
Our new normal for the time being is a learning curve for each of us. However, children still need to get at least an hour’s physical activity a day. It just means that parents and caretakers need creative ideas to keep kids moving!
Here are some ideas – share yours in the comments at the end of this blog post. Or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and share your ideas.
Start each day with a walk
Before the home school bell ‘rings’ take your children for a walk around the garden, the block or just down the street. Take the family dog with you as well. Why not make it a challenge: who can make it to the last tree on the street first? Who can spot the most birds? Believe it or not, the morning walk will shift children into the right frame of mind for getting down to the business of school.
Stretch it out with yoga
It is well documented that yoga for children develops and enhances cognitive function, regulates breathing, and can even improve sleep. Sounds like good practices for these days of shelter-at-home. Roll out your mat and give those sun salutations a try for a study break. Not a yogi yourself? There are lots resources online, including Cosmic Kids Yoga, a step-by-step session led by Jaime Amor that includes themes and stories that the kids ADORE.
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Choose a favourite from PE Class
Ask your children about what they do during their Physical Education classes at school. While you won’t be able to recreate the team-centred sports they play, your family can be resourceful by substituting. Use a stopwatch to time the kids with a hula hoop. Use a skateboard as a roller scooter to kick a ball around to score goals at the end of the driveway. Grab a tablecloth or old bed sheet as a makeshift rainbow parachute.
Dance party
A perennial favourite for all – host a dance party. Don’t just turn up the volume on your phone. Get the speakers out and commit! Bop till you drop with a round of freeze dance or musical chairs. Consider a dance memory game: choose one child to offer up a cool dance move, then move to the next child, etc., until everyone is performing the sequence. Lip sync, air guitar, or air drum battles are all keep ‘em rocking ideas, too.
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Online exercise
Raining outside? There are a handful of online exercise options out there that keep children moving and mindful. One popular option among educators and children alike is PE with Joe. Joe Wicks is a personal trainer with a hit YouTube channel and offers daily 30-minute workouts you can do inside.
Back to basics
Toddlers to primary-school ages can all participate in games like London Bridges, Red Rover, Limbo, Tug of War, Follow the Leader, Tag, Simon Says, and so on. These games can be played outside or in. Remember, as a parent, you are the greatest learning tool for your child. Kids love when it when everyone in the family participates.
About the author
Armed with a practical approach, Stacy Flannery shares encouraging tips and “we-are-all-in-this-together” humour for raising kids in today’s world of high expectations. Flannery, an experienced magazine editor turned mumtrepreneur, never imagined her two toughest bosses would be under three feet tall.
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At Home Behaviour Supports
Transitioning to home-learning is a big change for our students and us as parents. Many of the same positive, proactive supports that we put in place in your children’s classroom can be adapted for the home setting. Here are four suggestions for at-home behaviour supports to help make remote learning time more successful.
Try to provide warnings ahead of transitions:
When it is time to transition from one activity to another, give clear directions such as, “In five minutes, we are going to turn off the TV and start our maths assignment.” Positive reinforcement is a help, so provide praise when your child transitions well: “Thanks for turning off the TV. Grab your notebook and pencil and meet me at the kitchen table.”
Discuss with your child your expectations for when you also have work to do:
During this time, many parents are juggling working at home with home schooling, and transitions and boundaries help things run smoother. This could be actions such as, “When I am on a conference call, you can write down your question and hand it to me,” or “If you get hungry while I am working, I set out three snack choices for you,” or “If you can’t figure out this assignment while I am on a work call, you can read until I can help you.”
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Encourage independence:At school our students are encouraged to ask a friend before asking their teacher if they have questions about an assignment. You can encourage your child to ask an older sibling (if available). Use technology to your advantage as well! You can have your child ask “Alexa” or “Google” how to spell a word or define a word if you have a smart speaker. Encourage your child to email their teacher with questions as opposed to you doing it for them.
Create a family positive behaviour system:This is uncharted territory for us both as educators and parents. Look to create a system that rewards the behaviours we want our children to display and all work together. This could be a poster where you all earn stars for being helpful or kind or following directions without whining. Once your family gets a certain number of stars (start low, you want this to be attainable within a week or less) they can earn a fun family reward. A nature scavenger hunt, a special cooking project, or a family indoor picnic or movie night are all fun rewards.
Another positive support that many students are familiar with is putting a marble (you can use pebbles, or cotton balls as well) for displaying certain behaviours. Try to target one thing at a time and be specific – “Listening to mum and dad on the first ask” is always a good one. Put an item in the jar each time that behaviour is displayed and when the jar is filled, they can turn it in for a fun activity (see suggestions above). I would suggest having these systems be something all kids in the family are working towards together to encourage working as a family team.
About the AuthorAlexa Halbert is a certified Behavioural Analysist. She has worked in the field of applied behaviour for over seven years. During this time, she has worked with a wide range of students with special needs. She helps parents with customised behaviour intervention plans for home or school.
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