Staying Active While Social Distancing

Physical activity is good for your body and mind. With recreation programs cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Grandview Kids Physical Literacy Coordinator, Natalyn, has some great ways to help get your family active and keep spirits up!

You can go for a walk, get outside in your backyard, or set up some relay races, play the V-up challenge or create obstacle courses indoors, just remember social distancing.

How to set up a relay race:

A relay race is a racing competition where each member of a team completes parts of the course.

You can line up two rows of cans or bottles on your floor, space them out 2 feet apart, creating two parallel lines (try and keep as much space as possible between the two lines to encourage social distancing). At one end of each of the lines place a bin of toys/stuffed animals. Each child starts the race at the opposite end. The children crawl over the cans/bottles, grab a stuff animal/toy and zig-zag (running or crawling) back to the other end, drop their toy, and return to get another. Repeat until all items have been moved from the bin.

How to set up the V-up challenge:

Have your child lay on their back with an empty bin on the floor above their head, place stuffed animals are their feet. Have your child grab their stuffed toy with their feet and drop it in the bin above their head (creating a V-up motion with their legs). Repeat until all stuffed animals are in the bin.

How to make the obstacle course:

You can stack up cushions to make hurdles, make agility pathways by taping lines on the floor, and include stations like jumping jacks and bean bag toss. You can even use hula hoops or empty laundry baskets as targets and rolled up socks as bean bags.

Fundamental movement skills like jumping, throwing, and catching are very important for the physical development of a child. It’s incredibly important to keep kids active all year round, even if that means taking a bit of extra effort during these self-isolating times with your family.

Let your kids help with the building and everyone is sure to have fun!