Standout Daycare introduced a healthy habits curriculum for toddlers and preschoolers. Making daily exercise for kids a part of their routine enhances their motor skills, coordination, and balance. It can also reduce health risks such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and chronic illness as they grow older.
Children aged 3 to 5 should perform targeted physical activities daily for an hour or two. We’ve selected some simple and easy exercises for preschoolers. They can help you promote a culture of mindful movement at your center.
Here are our top picks:
1. Jumping Jacks and Skipping
Kids love bouncing and hopping around during playtime. Use their love for jumping to strengthen core muscles, and develop balance and coordination through 10 minutes of jumping jacks. You can gather them around on exercise mats and ask them to mimic your movements.
For skipping, you can get individual ropes or create an obstacle course that requires them to skip and bounce to reach the finish line. These activities enhance body awareness in young kids. The knowledge helps them excel in sports activities when they learn to dribble, throw balls in the hoop, and or make a soccer goal.
Alternatively, you can make easy exercises for kids as part of pretend play. Ask them to leap like a frog, hop like a bunny or a kangaroo. Or, you can use Spotify for Kids to put on upbeat songs to get the kids moving. They can copy your steps or create their moves.
2. Running and Jogging
Planning exercise for preschoolers requires daycare providers to add fun elements into the routine. You can’t ask them to run laps around the playground at this age.
The benefits of exercise for kids are easily achievable through running games. A game of tag, red light, green light, and freeze can encourage them to run around in an open space. Chasing their friends or completing a challenge makes this activity enjoyable.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, these aerobic activities promote healthy heart health. Such workouts are equally beneficial for respiratory health and muscle strengthening.
Pro tip: Handle playground accidents calmly and always have a report ready to keep parents/caregivers informed. You can download a template here.
3. Yoga
Yoga might not be on your list when we talk about exercise for preschoolers. Yet, lately, more and more daycare and sports centers are introducing this mindful activity for kids. According to Harvard Health, you can unlock several benefits of exercise for kids through this form of physical activity.
It can promote muscle flexibility, build core muscle strength, and improve lung capacity. Deep breathing exercises for kids can result in a more focused, calm, and relaxed mindset. Due to this, it’s the best winding down activity before nap time.
Pro tip: Is your daycare open during the holidays? Yoga can be part of daily activity. You can check out more ideas for summer camp here.
Let’s Get Active
When planning exercises for preschoolers, remember that they need to be physically active for at least an hour every day. Choose activities that target muscle strengthening, stretching, and coordination when you create a workout routine. You can pick one day of the week for them to freestyle.
Start a dance battle or use imaginative play to make these activities enjoyable for little ones. Their DIY moves can help improve body awareness as they explore different movements. You can also designate a day for different ball games to switch up the routine.
The versatility will make exercising less boring.
Need more advice? Join Standout Daycare to make early learning and childcare an enriching experience for everyone involved. Receive business coaching from professionals and online resources to meet your goals.
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