Fitness Ideas & Games for Early Education
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Part of a school’s educational responsibility and teacher’s curriculum should be to promote healthy habits and physical fitness. In elementary schools, children need outlets for movement and physical activity, especially if they’re not exposed to exercise at home. Exercise helps stimulate the brain and learning. It improves children’s behavior, attention span and moods.
Incorporate any of the following ideas to increase the physical activity of your students in the classroom:
Kids Dance Music: Kids dance music is a fun way to keep your students active. Dancing is like exercise in disguise and it will be a part of the day that they’ll look forward to! Students sing, jump and move about to exciting music while staying in shape, developing motor skills and exerting built-up energy.
The following CDs keep children engaged and motivated:
- Catch a Brain Wave Fitness Fun
- Rockin’ Aerobics
- Dance Club Music
- All-time Favorite Dances
Movement Activities & Games: Movement activities for children promote classroom exercise and team building. Also, when students participate in movement activities or play games, they learn how to work as a team with other children.
The following is a list of games and movement activities for children that are fun and educational:
- Hoop!: Place four different-colored hoops on the floor. Instruct the children to move around the hoops in different ways. Shut your eyes, shout “hoop!” and say a color. The students must choose a colored hoop to jump into. Children that are in the color of the hoop that you shouted are out. Then students who are “out” can choose how the children move (run, bear crawl, crab walk), shout “hoop!” and choose a hoop color. Play until there is a winner! (Ages 5 – 7)
- Frogs Stuck in the Mud: Two students are “it” and must tag other students. Kids can only move by hopping like frogs. (Ages 5 – 11)
- Run Around the Teepees: Students will each have a partner and make a circle. One partner sits on the ground cross-legged and is the Indian. The other child is the teepee and stands behind the partner with legs open. Call out either “Indians” or “teepees.” If you call out “Indians,” the Indians must crawl through their teepee, run around the circle, crawl back through their teepee and return to their spot. If you call you “teepees,” the teepees must run around the circle and return to their spot. (Ages 5 – 11)
For more exercise activities, visit Teaching Ideas.
