School starting: Here are some ways to help kids and students active
School is starting back up and that means kids will be sitting around a lot more. As a parent and a teacher getting kids to sit still and focus can be a challenge! Finding the time to encourage activity can also be a challenge with busy schedules. With the weather cooling down and school starting there are plenty of opportunities to get kids moving, if you know where to look! A solid plan and a little creativity can make it fun and easy to find time to consistently get 60 minutes of activity!
For Parents
Ideally kids need to get 60 minutes of activity every day if not more! For kids and families with busy schedules you may be wondering where to find the time. Activity minutes don’t have to be strictly things that seem like “exercise” such as running, walking, jumping jacks, etc. Activity minutes can be anything that gets kids hearts beating faster. Kids can get activity minutes by doing chores like walking the dog, cleaning their room, and even washing the car. A win for the whole family! It’s also important to model behaviors for your children. If they see you trying something like yoga or working in the yard, encourage them to come join in, help out, and turn it into a moment the whole family can connect together through.
Some other ideas to be active in creative ways:
Check out your local library!
All Jefferson County Libraries have physical activity kits that can be checked out and have activities for most ages! Call your local library to see what kits they have!
Use some of these tips to make household chores fun!
Try out this helpful tool to find time throughout the day to be active!
For Teachers
As a teacher getting kids to sit still and focus can be a challenge! Kids want and need to move around during their day. You can help kids reach their 60 minutes of activity by occasionally stopping for a brain break during the school day. Brain breaks have shown to help with attention and gets kids wiggles out so they can focus on their actual work. These breaks can be 3-4 minutes long as part of a transition activity, so it doesn’t interrupt their normal classwork. This can help kids shift gears, get their heart rates up, and focus on their next task!
Some ways to incorporate physical activity into the school day:
Look through types of brain breaks and how they can be helpful to students!
Find success stories and other resources here
Find movement videos for a wide variety of topics!
About the Author: Megan Winkelmann has been a Community Health Educator with the Jefferson County Health Department for just over two years. She attended Truman State University earning a bachelor’s degree in Health Science with a minor in Biology. While working for JCHD she attended A.T. Still University to earn her master’s degree in Public Health. Megan was born and raised in Jefferson County and enjoys creating programs that encourage healthy habits in the place she was raised. Megan likes to spend her free in time in the presence of family and friends.