Afterschool programs are a great time for children to relax, learn, and play after a busy day at school. But it’s also a perfect opportunity to get them moving and help them stay active. As afterschool care providers, you can create fun fitness activities that kids will love while improving their overall health and well-being.
As early childhood educators, we know how important it is to help children grow, learn, and develop in every way possible. One area that’s especially important for young children is physical fitness. But how can we make fitness fun and exciting? In this blog post, we’ll share easy and enjoyable fitness ideas to get kids moving, strengthen their bodies, and have a great time!
Why Fitness is Important for Young Children
Physical activity is important for school-age children because it helps with strength, coordination, and mental focus. It also gives them a chance to burn off some energy after sitting at a desk all day. Regular fitness helps kids develop healthy habits that can last a lifetime. Plus, when children have fun while being active, they are more likely to enjoy exercise and stay active as they get older.
Fun & Simple Fitness Activities for Your Afterschool Program
Team Sports Games
Kids love playing sports with their friends. Organizing sports games can help them develop teamwork skills, improve coordination, and have fun while being active. Some easy games to try include:
- Kickball: This is a classic and easy-to-play game that gets children running, kicking, and catching.
- Soccer: Set up goals with cones and let children kick the ball back and forth. You can play full games or just practice passing and shooting.
- Basketball: If you have a hoop, a simple game of HORSE or shooting practice can get children moving and having fun.
Team sports give children the chance to work together and enjoy friendly competition!
Relay Races
Relay races are exciting and can be done in many different ways. You can organize simple races where kids have to pass a baton or object to the next runner. Here are a few fun ideas:
- Traditional Relay: Divide the children into teams. Each child has to run to a specific point and then run back to tag the next runner.
- Three-Legged Race: Pair up children and tie their legs together with a scarf or ribbon. They will have to work together to run to the finish line.
- Egg-and-Spoon Race: Have children balance an egg (or small ball) on a spoon while running. If they drop it, they have to start over!
Relay races encourage friendly competition and teamwork while keeping kids active.
Fitness Stations
Setting up fitness stations is a fun way to keep kids moving and allow them to try different activities. You can set up stations with different exercises that children rotate through. Some station ideas include:
- Jump Rope: Children can practice jumping rope for one minute.
- Push-Ups: See how many push-ups they can do in 30 seconds.
Hula Hooping: Have a hula hoop station for children to work on their core strength and balance. - Cone Drills: Set up cones and have children run through them as fast as they can.
Switching between stations helps keep things interesting and gives children a variety of movements to try.
Dance Party
Turn up the music and have a dance party! Dancing is an excellent way for kids to get their hearts pumping and burn some energy. You can even make it a themed dance party, like a “disco night” or “superhero dance-off.”
To make it even more exciting, play dance games like “Freeze Dance,” where children stop dancing when the music pauses, or “Follow the Leader,” where one child leads the group in different dance moves.
Obstacle Course
Children love a good challenge, and obstacle courses are a fun way to get them moving. Set up an obstacle course in your gym or outdoor area using cones, hula hoops, and other equipment. Include activities like:
- Crawling under tables
- Jumping over cones
- Balancing on a beam
- Running around a set of cones
You can time the children to see how fast they can complete the course, or even make it a team challenge. Obstacle courses help improve agility, balance, and coordination.
Yoga and Stretching
While some children might have a lot of energy to burn, others might need a calming activity. Yoga and stretching can be a great way to improve flexibility and give kids a moment to relax. You can guide them through simple yoga poses like:
- Downward Dog: This pose helps with stretching the back and legs.
- Tree Pose: Balancing on one leg like a tree can improve focus and stability.
- Cat-Cow Stretch: This is a great way to stretch the back and neck.
You can also create a fun yoga session by telling a story, where the children become animals and stretch into different shapes. For example, they could stretch like a cat or crawl like a snake!
Scavenger Hunt Fitness
Add some movement to a traditional scavenger hunt! Create a list of items for the children to find, but instead of walking to each item, they must complete a fitness challenge first. For example, they might have to do 10 jumping jacks before finding the next item or run to a certain point before looking for the next clue. This combines problem-solving, fitness, and fun!
Circuit Training
Circuit training is a great way to get children moving and working different parts of their bodies. Set up different stations around your space with activities like:
- Jumping jacks
- Sit-ups
- Squats
- Running in place
Children can move through each station, spending one minute at each before switching to the next one. This helps build strength, endurance, and coordination.
Minute to Win It Challenges
Turn fitness into a fun, competitive game! You can set up “Minute to Win It” challenges, where children have one minute to complete an activity. Some ideas include:
- Balloon Keep-Up: How long can they keep a balloon in the air?
- Cup Stacking: How many cups can they stack in one minute?
- Hula Hoop Challenge: How many hula hoops can they go through in one minute?
These quick challenges keep kids engaged and encourage them to push themselves to beat their previous scores.
Superhero Training Camp
Kids love superheroes, so why not turn fitness into a superhero training camp? Create a series of physical challenges that children must complete to become “official” superheroes. Some fun activities include:
- Strength Training: doing push-ups or lifting light weights
- Speed Training: running fast like The Flash
- Agility Training: dodging obstacles like Spider-Man
This theme helps children imagine themselves as superheroes, making the fitness fun even more exciting!
Making Fitness Part of the Routine
Keeping school-age children active and engaged in afterschool programs doesn’t have to be complicated. By offering a variety of fun and creative fitness activities, you can help them stay healthy while developing important skills like teamwork, coordination, and perseverance. Whether it’s a relay race, yoga session, or superhero training, the key is to make fitness exciting and fun.