Three Physical Activity Lessons You Can Run Virtually

Many people believe that remote learning encourages a sedentary lifestyle, but that isn’t always the case. Remote learning can include physical activity programs that do more than just instruct on a screen, but actively encourage children to get moving.

There are ways to include virtual physical activity programs in online learning to make it possible for movement to occur at home. A well-rounded remote learning environment can and should consist of programs that get children active. Despite the prolonged screen time, it’s very realistic to emerge from this home learning experience even healthier by delivering physical activity opportunities through a screen.

Here are three of the top virtual physical activity programs that will keep students motivated to learn and instill a love for movement into their lives:

1. 30-Day Virtual Physical Activity Programs

• Easy to Launch: The variety of Virtual Physical Activity Programs makes it easy for teachers to share their content and create an engaging virtual experience for children. Every program is operated as a “Click N’ Play” approach, launching student-centered activities that include physical activity, martial arts, yoga, Pilates, early childhood physical activity, move and groove, mindfulness, and more.
• Broad Reach: Even parents and other family members can participate, further disengaging from the screen and including everyone in better health through movement. It’s much easier for children to be active and form healthy habits when they feel support from the whole family. When parents act as role models for getting physically active, it paves the way for the children to follow suit.
• Seamless Implementation: The length of time that children sit while participating in virtual learning may impact their health and well-being, so it is crucial for them to take regular movement breaks. However, it may be challenging for children to create their own activities or find ways to add physical fitness to their schedule. The Virtual Physical Activity Program seamlessly weaves a daily itinerary of movement into children’s lives, allowing time for e-learning and physical activity.

2. Speed Stacks – Physical Distancing Curriculum

• Personally Packaged: The Speed Stacks program offers Personal PE Kits designed to individualize the experience for students at home. Families won’t have to scramble to piece together materials or scrounge for makeshift items to make the program work at home. Multipurpose equipment provides many different uses, demonstrating that it doesn’t require a full gym to get and stay healthy.
• Built for Distance: Speed Stacks @ Home Videos provide instruction to fit a variety of e-learning, from fully remote to hybrid. As a teacher resource or in-home program, at-home videos are a tool that allows teachers to modify the activities to fit the circumstances easily. No matter the type of e-learning, the Speed Stacks program can keep children moving while maintaining distance.

3. Action for Healthy Kids

• Parent Leaders: Teachers know that the number one influence on children is not their instruction but the parents. Involved parents produce children that will be more engaged, better prepared, and more likely to succeed in educational activities. Action for Healthy Kids gives parents a platform to be the leaders for their children.
• Agents for Change: When children see their parents motivated to move and participate in physical activity, they are also inspired to move and be physical. Action for Healthy Kids provides resources so that families can adopt healthier lifestyles at home. Knowledge is power, and Action for Healthy Kids gives parents the ability to create healthy activities, providing advantages for their children academically and physically.

Setting Realistic Expectations for Virtual Learning

The ability to learn at home is a real opportunity and great use of technology. We can safely continue to educate children while keeping them healthy. Just like at school, it’s essential to maintain a full, robust learning environment even though the instruction comes through a computer screen.

Including movement breaks, physical activity programs, and parent or family participation, takes e-learning from a sedentary, lonely pursuit into a much richer and fuller experience. This is a unique time, and learning from home allows for unique opportunities. Rather than lament the losses, educators can get excited at the advantages of this prolonged break from the normal routine of school.

Teachers can adapt and create something special during this time. Schools can use this time to be about more than just plugging children into a computer. The at-home physical education lessons available from any of these programs will turn the static and sedentary quality of virtual learning into anything but sitting still. Incorporating these programs throughout the disciplines can add more layers to lessons. Filtering physical activity throughout the school day means children will learn better.

When virtual schooling includes physical education programs, then the full range of learning can really occur in the home. It’s not enough just to keep children up to speed on their knowledge, because a well-rounded lifestyle means attending to both the body and mind. Adding in these virtual learning physical activity programs means children receive a holistic educational experience despite additional screen time.

Sandy Slade is the CEO & Founder of Skillastics®, the #1 on-site & virtual physical activity resource. Skillastics® makes it easy to organize, motivate, and engage students to move, learn, and love it. Skillastics® is an innovative technique of play designed around an oversize mat where up to 100 children can play at one time. There are 13 different Skillastics® Activity Kit themes, ranging from general fitness, sport skill development, character enhancement, and academic integration, including STEM and nutrition. The newest layer of Skillastics® resources includes 30-Day Virtual Physical Activity programs, including Fitness, Martial Arts, and Yoga.

Over 10 million students enjoy Skillastics® in more than 25,000 Physical Education and After School settings nationwide. For more information, email info@skillastics.com or check out www.skillastics.com.