P.E. in Homeschooling

Practical Fitness

In p.e. in homeschooling, there is a myriad of choices, all terrific and exciting. Let your imagination--and your child's-- soar.

Some of the options are team sports, lessons (dance, karate, etc.), basic physical skills and traditional outdoor games

Whichever you decide to do, it's a good idea to have alternative homeschool fitness activities in mind. Formal classes and practices always take off several weeks a session or the weather may be raining or frigid, so preventing outdoor play.

Snow, on the other hand, positively threatens to transform an entire school day into one giant physical marathon...sledding, tubing, snowball fights, making snow men and angels and simply tromping through that pristine layer of white.

Following are fun, practical "fill-ins" for p.e. in homeschooling:

• Do calisthenics--sit-ups, crunches, jumping jacks, etc. There are loads of books/videos at the library which describe and demonstrate the proper forms of the endless number of these exercises. Do them daily or when one gets restless.

  Keeping an exercise chart is encouraging to the youngsters. Label it with dates, number of sit-ups, push-ups, etc. The child competes against himself and observes the inevitable progress.

• Pop in a walking/dance/aerobics video. (These appeal to girls; boys couldn't care less.)

• Make walking a family event. Pile in the car and head to a walking trail. Even hiking about the neighborhood is a pleasant way to spend time together and get (stay) fit.

• Incorporate outdoor activity with science, art or other subject. Take a nature walk. Look for mushrooms. Observe fall foliage. Gather spring flowers. Be alert for other ways to join p.e. with academics.

• Invite other children for a physical play date or meet at a playground...basketball, badminton, biking, hopscotch, football, running races, jump rope...

• Plan a re-occurring co-op activity that focuses on the physical...roller/ice skating, softball, volleyball, outdoor games, bowling, laser tag (expensive, but good for an occasional change).

• Have animal moments. The house is transformed into a zoo! Everyone lumbers like a bear, hops like a frog, runs like a rabbit, stretches like a cat. The children will delight in thinking up other movements.

Other P.E. articles:

Getting Started With P.E.

Basic P.E. Skills

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