Staying Active this Summer
;
;

Staying Active this Summer

Learning how to prioritise health and wellbeing from a young age sets up good habits for life. As a whole school, we encourage our Grammarians to find opportunities for movement every day and teach them not just about the physical benefits of exercise but also the emotional and mental benefits. In the Junior Years, movement is a normal part of their day as they learn and play.

Throughout the lockdowns of 2020, Melbourne Girls Grammar’s Junior Years Physical Performance and Health Teacher, Angenita Oosthuizen-De Lange, worked hard to provide opportunities to enjoy movement and exercise. With Seesaw helping staff to facilitate these lessons, students Prep to Year 4 were able to continue their PPH lessons and work on improving their coordination and skills with stages appropriate for each age level.

During the summer holidays, there are so many opportunities for your daughter to enjoy movement and make the most of whatever equipment you have. We’ve provided an example of an obstacle course you can make at home using whatever you have on hand, or your local playground can provide monkey bars, bridges, climbers, steppers and slides as station suggestions.

Start – Set up the start line/finish line.

Station 1 – Set out 25 steps to set the distance between the start line to Station 2. Now Crab Walk to Station 2.

Station 2 – Do 10 burpees.

Station 3 – Do the Tree 2 Yoga Pose. Hold for 15 counts.

Station 4 – Jump over 10 high hurdles. You can use anything; a teddy bear, a doll, cones, tins, bricks or blocks.

Station 5 – Flick a beanbag, ball or soft toy with your LEFT foot and catch it! Balance it on your foot then catch it. Do it 10 times.

Station 6 – Do cartwheels to the next station. See how many you can fit in. Or balance a beanbag or soft toy on your head, shoulders or back and walk to the next station.

Station 7 – On a mat or mattress or soft grass, do 10 pushups.

Station 8 – Set up your station with cones (tins, soft toys, blocks) and a goal using tins, soft toys or blocks. Then dribble a ball using your feet through the cones making a zig zag shape then kick the ball through a goal post.

Station 9 – Toss and catch a ball with one hand 20 times without dropping it.

Station 10 – Sprint to the finish line/start line as quickly as you can.

It doesn’t matter what equipment you have, be creative and use what you can. Once you’ve mastered each station, you can start timing to beat your own record or race a friend or sibling. Stations can be closer together for younger levels, and further apart as they get more confident.

Activities like obstacle courses are great for improving skills including balance, agility, coordination and social skills for healthy and active lives. Most importantly, they teach us how to move to support a positive attitude and encourages fun and laughter.

Celebrate the small achievements with your daughter and make being active part of every day.