Exercise, phys ed?

[LauraGB]

What do you do outside of organized sports (football, softball, tennis, etc) and sporty lessons (swimming, raquet ball at the Y, for instance) for this?

I'm beginning to feel like I'm not doing nearly enough by way of this! *I* am not a sporty gal, so I like to farm my kids out for these things. But at the end of the week, when I really look at it, they struggle to do push-ups or sit-ups or even a fair and graceful jumping jack!

 

Am I over reacting? It seems to me that when I was thier age, we were running around the track and doing *lots* of sit-ups (I distinctly remember this because I hated them ;)) and such stuff. Do you have your dc do a daily warm-up sort of routine? If so, what do they do and for how long? If not, what do you do, if anything?

 

Fwiw, dd is involved in swimming (1x per week) and they both are involved in some sort of sporty lesson constantly throughout the school year (usually 1-2x per week). I just don't feel it is enough, though.

 

Thanks!

[newbie]

What do you do outside of organized sports (football, softball, tennis, etc) and sporty lessons (swimming, raquet ball at the Y, for instance) for this?

I'm beginning to feel like I'm not doing nearly enough by way of this! *I* am not a sporty gal, so I like to farm my kids out for these things. But at the end of the week, when I really look at it, they struggle to do push-ups or sit-ups or even a fair and graceful jumping jack!

 

Am I over reacting? It seems to me that when I was thier age, we were running around the track and doing *lots* of sit-ups (I distinctly remember this because I hated them ;)) and such stuff. Do you have your dc do a daily warm-up sort of routine? If so, what do they do and for how long? If not, what do you do, if anything?

 

Fwiw, dd is involved in swimming (1x per week) and they both are involved in some sort of sporty lesson constantly throughout the school year (usually 1-2x per week). I just don't feel it is enough, though.

 

Thanks!

 

We just started the best. DD has to take PE in high school. So apexlearning.com has virtual. I think first two to three wks. they do the plan, than they have your dc, plan it. It goes aerobic and anaerobic. 5xwk, 30 to 45 min day. She does situp and pushup, jumprope, walk, just like the old days.

 

She has lost weight and I am getting a pretty nice tush. The class is 350.00. But its worth it to stay on track. I am going to see if we can continue, with no credit next yr. I dont think we have stamina , not to have to answer to someone. And I am not going to a gym.

[nmoira]

I send them outside to play, telling them that they have "a break until they're too tired to run." We've got them both in classes as well; I'm hoping they stick with Aikido long term.

[Stacia]

I just bought (so we haven't actually used it yet) Homeschool Family Fitness: A Complete Curriculum Guide.

 

It looks good. I'm not a very good PE person myself, so I like that it lays out what to do, how often, etc....

 

My kids play outside a lot, but I don't think they could do many sit-ups, etc.... So, I'm hoping that adding some 'formalized' PE will work on that front.

[KIN]

I'm planning to do more formalized PE this year too. My sons, 8, 6, and 4 can't even do the monkey bars on our home swing set/jungle gym. They can't do jumping jacks either. They are in baseball and soccer, but I feel more is needed. I downloaded a free PE for homeschoolers (I don't have the link, maybe someone will post it) and I'm also planning to purchase http://www.fitdeck.com/fit/fitdeckjr/index.html FitDeck Jr. to use with my kids this year in school. The PE program looks good, but I thought the FitDeck would add some fun to our day.

[Jen500]

We do a lot of bike riding. Through the neighborhood, on paved trails, on trails through the woods. It's great exercise. Right now the boys are learning how to ice skate. Some rinks have homeschool days that aren't very expensive. Some days we even do some pilates/yoga dvd's at home. (Ok, that usually ends in fits of laughter)

[momof3gifts]

I have been known to send my kids on laps/races around the outside of the house if it is a day that they haven't done anything physical. My oldest two stay pretty fit with swim team almost daily but my youngest needs a little more direct exercise.

 

I bought the homeschool family fitness book and just never could get to it.

[Sherri in MI]

My son is 9.5 and he can't do the monkey bars either and he is overweight and I don't know what to do for him for exercise. He is an only child, so there is no one for him to play outside with. I do send him outside anyway, but he's not really going to run around by himself and I am too out of shape and old to run around with him! He has soccer in the Fall and Spring, but it's not enough and I don't know what to do in the Winter. I want to get him involved in swimming maybe, but we live in a rural area, and I don't want to have to drive everyday for him to get some exercise because of gas prices.

 

So, I'm looking for things to do at home. I want to start walking with him and the dog every morning. He does have a bicycle too, but there isn't really anywhere for him to ride it.

 

I like the FitDeck idea! Thanks to the mom who shared that.

 

I'm going to look for some sort of fun exercise videos. If we had a house with a yard, I'd get a trampoline. I was thinking of getting one of those mini trampolines. And a jump rope. I don't know. I'm terrible in this area.

 

Blessings,

Sherri in MI

[LanaTron]

FitDeck does look great! Thanks for posting!

[Sandra in FL]

with school work, the kids get to watch a movie. As long as someone's jumping (about 1/2 hour each), the movie runs.

 

I find that it's about the only exercise that I'll do consistently. It's easy on the joints and relatively effortless. Here in S. Florida, it's very hot and humid. It also rains almost everyday. So with the trampoline, I get to exercise in the A/C, under the fan and watch TV (rain or shine).

 

NASA astronauts use the trampoline to build back bone mass after being in space (no gravity).

 

HTH,

Sandra

 

P.S. The kids do soccer from August through March. So this rebounding has only really been during the summer when we also swim.

[SoCal Sandra]

You are not over-reacting with your concern. Physical education is important to health, growth, concentration and attitude so we make it happen with organized sports, biking, playground time, and most recently dance lessons.

 

Our local YMCA offers homeschool p.e. classes. If yours does not, perhaps you could approach them with the idea.

 

A wonderful family in our homeschool support group offered a sports clinic last year. The kids spent six weeks on a sport then moved on to another sport. They even prepared and tested for the Presidential Fitness tests and received certificates for participation and accomplishments. You could do this at your local park like we did.

 

During the summer swimming is a perfect way to get exercise because kids have so much fun they don't realize how much time goes by. Then they are exhausted and mom gets a rest.

 

Good luck!

[Lovedtodeath]

I downloaded a free PE for homeschoolers (I don't have the link, maybe someone will post it)

 

I am hoping for that link!:D

[Kris]

I thought my son was in pretty good shape until he started the Taekwondo class. When they did warm-ups, he couldn't do a decent push-up. He looked like a worm -- a really long, cool worm, but still . . .

 

Lately, he's really "buffing up" and I'm not the only one who has noticed. His buddies, too, are telling him they want to do what he's doing because he's looking so good. His push-ups are pretty fine too! And that's saying something considering how long he is. :-)

 

They do 15 to 20 minutes of cardio before each class, and he usually does two or three classes on the days we go in -- usually two or three times a week. He's supposed to work out at home, too, but that's sporadic.

 

Looking at it, it doesn't seem like much, but it's made a big difference.

[Laura Corin]

My boys do an hour of exercise on every school day. They each do a martial art once or twice a week. On days when they don't have anything scheduled, they run at least a mile, do stretches, and lift light weights.

 

I should say that we are not a family that particularly enjoys sports. Rather I think of exercise as a necessary part of life, like brushing teeth.

 

Best wishes

 

Laura

[Trivium Academy]

We take our dog for a daily walk and the kids play outside daily. Once we get into our new lesson routine, the kids and I will be doing an exercise video 2x a week and on Fridays (or Saturdays) we walk a trail at a local state park. The exercise videos are Tae Bo Kicks, Yoga for Kids and Leslie Sansome (sp?) KidsWalk. We'll probably add bike riding. My kids ages are in the signature line, I think that makes a difference in what approach we're taking.

[hypermusicmom]

http://www.presidentschallenge.org/educators/home_schools.aspx

[TN Mama]

I have this site bookmarked for phys ed: PE Central.

[Testimony]

What is that?:lol:

 

My younger son is a soccer giant in this family. So, he is in travelling soccer. He can also do the monkey bars. He runs like the wind. He is the athlete in our family. When we did the Presidential fitness program, he did well.

 

Now, my older son is another story. I don't know if some of you have seen my posts, but my older son is the academic whiz. He score in the 96th and 97th percentile on the IOWAs. He reads wellHowever, when it come to athletics, he get an "F." We signed him up for the recreational soccer. He walked across the field. We signed him up for swimming. He screamed and cried in the middle of the pool.:blushing: My younger son was flipping and twirling in the water. :hurray:

 

I decided to have them do some workout with me a few days a week. So, we walk around my lake. This is no small feat. I have a mountain to climb up which is about six house away from me. I like around a lake so we have mini-mountains and a good size one to walk. It is a good workout. We then jump rope and do jumping jacks, sit up, and squats. Of course, my younger son can do it all. My older son needs prayer.:smilielol5::smilielol5:

 

Blessings in your homeschooling journey!

 

Sincerely,

Karen

http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

[prim*rose]

I have an only child too, with no playmates around us. I've been really sick the last year so I've sort of slacked with the PE stuff. Before I got sick, we were doing a walk/jog around the block, nature hikes and tennis at the local courts (during school was great - no one there). She was also in a hs tennis class and does horse riding.

 

Btw, dd is 7. And she really seems to like yoga, so I've been trying to find a dvd for us to do together that isn't too difficult.

[AllSmiles]

Another homeschooling mom has put together a great (and free) homeschool PE program. She has put together a 36 week program that can be repeated every year. It includes things such as sit-ups, push-ups, jumping jacks, stretching, etc., as well as an introduction to many different sports. She also has the kids playing many diffrent active games.

[katilac]

Get a Wii and the Wii Fit! Great for non-sporty families. Has exercises in yoga (flexibility), strength training, aerobics and balance. Tracks each person's progress.

 

There are many books and PE lessons out there, but non-sporty, non-athletic parents have to be highly motivated to implement them. I am not, :tongue_smilie:

 

edited to add that I don't think you're worrying too much. it's crucial for kids to get enough exercise, and at this age a half-hour of hard exercise per day is really a minimum.

[nmoira]

 

Get a Wii and the Wii Fit! Great for non-sporty families.

If only it were that easy... :lol: I'm thinking about offering a finder's fee for a Wii Fit.

[LauraGB]

Wow! Thanks for all the great suggestions! I was up late looking at all the different websites last night and this morning I haven't gotten anything done except check out the new suggestions! Thank you so much for chiming in - I really do need help here.

 

Dc are pretty active during the summer, its the winter that kills us; there are a handful of months here where it takes more time to dress to go outside than it does actually being outside! And since its not logical to don the snowsuit and bulky boots to run through ice and slush, we pretty much rely on those one or two classes at the Y. But, like I said, I really don't feel its enough. And, truthfully, I'd like to cut back on the $ spent for the Y classes this year because I feel they are more fun/social than anything else most of the time (which is necessary, too, but they get that through other things that cost a whole lot less). They are old enough where toning and building muscle structure is necessary.

 

And I'm glad to see I'm not alone ;).

 

Thanks so much!

[wheezie]

I haven't read the replies so I don't know if this was mentioned, but we use our trampoline year round. It's an *excellent* workout for both of my kids. :) In the winter I just bundle them up, although after a few minutes of jumping, their coats usually come off. ;)

[sagira]

Biking, running and playing at the park, swimming, tennis, exercise with Daddy (Tae-Bo), walking around the block, soccer.

[DB in NJ]

How about the President's Challenge? We did it at our co-op last year, and it was fantastic!! There are levels for every age/ability.