by Seeking Faithfulness posted a while back on the importance–and the frustration–of keeping a homeschooling family in good physical shape. One of her commenters shared a favorite P.E. activity, and it sounded so good I went to CBD and ordered it!
Fun Physical Fitness for the Home by Sono Sato Harris (mother to Joshua Harris). It’s a book full of exercise diagrams and how-to’s and it comes with a CD that plays classical music for just the right tempos per exercise!
We walked like bears, scuttled like crabs, “rowed” donkeys, marched/leaped/ran/skipped/slid all around the house…have I mentioned how our home can be traveled in a complete circle from kitchen to living room to the bedroom/bathroom hallway and through the laundry room to again re-enter the kitchen? Talk about fun leaping the loop three times before the music switches to the more challenging “gallop”!
If you’re still not sold, the author gives many extra tips on making this activity mentally stimulating as well. For instance, in the section on “The Four Seasons Interpretation”, the “coach” (me) would talk the children through the motions of imagining a Spring day:
“April showers…you are walking through a field after several days of spring rain. It’s pretty muddy, ooey, gooey, slippy, slidey…oops! Be careful that you do not fall! Oh, no! Now you are having trouble. Your feet are getting stuck in the mud. Try to get out of it. Just a few more steps. Oh, oh. It’s starting to rain again.”
All to springlike music! My “drama queens” really eat this stuff up! I mentioned the “gallop”–well, we did as the author suggested, ran the “derby” for this one, with me holding a broom up for them to “jump” during the course!
These girls of mine love to get the wiggles out to music…they beg me to play “The Spinning Song” as they twirl and whirl, pleading “faster, Mommy, faster!”. Well, this CD-exercise program has been well worth the $13.99 investment. I went through all the exercises with my girls, explaining each one and after three days *I’m* even feeling the burn!
Who knew I could crab-walk my way to great triceps! What a novel concept!
How do you keep your children active? Especially indoors?
Wow! I’m tired just thinking of all that running, jumping, slogging, etc! I don’t have to do it when I come to visit, right? I can just see our little ‘drama queens’ loving every minute of it. I’ll just sit in my chair and be a ‘dowager queen’, reminiscing about the days when activity was the real spice of life!
Sounds like you are doing a much better job than we are, Mary! 🙂 And it sounds like fun!
We are using a children’s fitness video – and my older ones are treadmilling. We’ve had a few days where they can be outside and play. So – nothing too creative, but at least we are moving! 🙂
My second oldest and I go to the gym almost every day. Sometimes, the three younger ones come too and play in the gymnasium part while we use the machines. My husband is very good about taking the children out on week ends to go bike riding or hiking. I usually don’t go on these little trips because it’s just nice to have some alone time! 🙂
I came home from work, and allowed my little guys to finish their movie and turned everything off. I told them they had to play outside! With a bit of protesting, they put on their shoes and off they went.
Well, my children are all much older but they are very much outdoorsey type kids. They have bikes and a trampoline and they also play soccer. I think it’s important for children to get some sort of exercise though.
I use to homeschool and we use to go to a local gym where they had a programme for the home school kids
sounds like u had fun
“The Four Seasons Interpretation” sounds a lot like the dancing classes I attended at uni they were fun and imaginative
Our next door neighbours gave us a little slide so Daniel plays on that. He also rides his tricycle inside. He has also not been long walking and I think that gives him exercise too 🙂
He does love the outdoors though
Never a dowager queen, Mom! 😉
Holly, we love this program, hopefully the fun won’t wear off…wish we had a treadmill! What children’s fitness video do you watch?
Deborah…when are we going to the gym together again???
Leticia, I love spring/summer for that very reason! Kids can go outdoors and maximize on fresh air! Good for you for turning the tv off…I bet they had a blast once out there!
Amy, we have a large trampoline too! It’s been a favorite way to exercise for almost 2 years now! Great investment…and I was worried they’d get tired of it after a couple months…they haven’t yet!
Jen…I WISH our homeschool group had a special class/rate at the gym! I didn’t know you used to homeschool, neat. It’s funny you mentioned the 4 season interpretation…the author of this book taught dance and gymnastics for years and years, and mentioned that it was the basis for this program.
Thank you all for coming by and commenting! I so enjoy reading all your comments! Yesterday was a hugely busy day…I had 2 nieces over to spend the day playing, and then 2 more spend the night…and all was mostly fun and games…but oh my the potential for mischief! I didn’t dare get on the computer!