Healthy kids and the promotion of physical activity for students is a hot topic! This page offers a compilation of resources that may assist teachers in adopting classroom physical activity (listed alphabetically). At the bottom of the page are links to programming to increase physical activity across the school day. (Please also see our Materials page for implementation ideas and activities.)
Action for Healthy Kids
This site is dedicated to promoting health in children, primarily through school-based actions.
Active Classrooms
This page, part of Active Schools, offers a list of resources to aid teachers in engaging students in movement within the classroom.
Active for Life
This site, while geared at parents, offers free activity ideas for children based on age (1-12 yrs) and skill sets. It is also a resource for physical activity in children.
- Home: http://activeforlife.com
- Direct link to activity search: http://activeforlife.com/activities
Active Schools Acceleration Project
This links accesses a launch kit for CHALK/Just Move™ curriculum materials to engage students in physical activity at school.
- Launch Kit Home: http://www.activeschoolsasap.org/node/213
- Direct link to Just Move™ Start-up Guide with implementation tips: http://www.activeschoolsasap.org/files/u8/just-move-guide_final_08.20.13.pdf
- Direct link to Just Move™ Activity Cards: http://www.activeschoolsasap.org/files/u8/just_move_cards_final_08.13.13.pdf
Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Physical Activity in Schools)
This site promotes physical activity and shares guidance and resources for increasing physical activity opportunities at school. There is also an option to sign your school up for the Healthy Schools Program.
BAM! Body and Mind
This site offers information about various types of physical activity that students may wish to learn more about – what gear is needed, how to be safe, how to play, and fun facts for each activity. While these activities are not conducive to classroom physical activity, the cards may assist in the creation of an active culture and promote physical activity in students outside of school.
Classroom Physical Activity
As a sub-set of the Healthy Schools site, this Centers for Disease Control and Prevention page is dedicated to classroom physical activity. It offers an overview, data and policy information, and several documents on strategies for integrating physical activity into the classroom. As an additional resource, a PPT presentation can be downloaded and shared with stakeholders.
- Main page: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/classroom-pa.htm
- Direct link to PDF “Strategies for Classroom Physical Activity in Schools”: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/pdf/ClassroomPAStrategies_508.pdf
- Direct link to PPT download “Integrate Classroom Physical Activity: Getting Students Active During School”: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/pdf/Integrate_Classroom_PA_PPT_slides_508.PPTX
Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program – ONLINE COURSE!
Developed by the CDC as part of their “Training Tools for Healthy Schools: Promoting Health and Academic Success”, this free online course offers individuals a chance to “understand the importance and benefits of youth physical activity, recognize the components of a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program, and learn the process for developing, implementing, and evaluating a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program”.
Energizing Brain Breaks
This site primarily seeks to sell the Energizing Brain Breaks books, but also offers information about classroom physical activity breaks and relevant links.
5 Strategies for Recess Planning
This page, from the June 2017 National Association of Elementary School Principals, offers step-by-step suggestions for cultivating effective recess time for students.
The Importance of Active Classrooms
This single page, compiled by Support Real Teachers, has links to a host of helpful resources for engaging students in movement at school.
Integrating Physical Activity into the Classroom: Practical Strategies for All School Health Leaders *NEW*
Recorded WEBINAR by Springboard to Active Schools that shares ” two new resources to help teachers and caregivers easily integrate physical activity with a safety, inclusion, and equity lens in different learning settings” while modeling movement engagement.
Involve Families in Physical Activity in Schools
This PDF, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, addresses the importance of parental involvement and offer tips to promote parental support of classroom physical activity practices.
Kids Focus
Marcia Lee Unnever, founder of Kids Focus, has compiled a list of videos relevant to brain-based learning and physical activity. Kids Focus offers brain-based movements for the early childhood and elementary classroom as well as professional training on cognition and behavioral development in childhood.
KidsHealth
By Nemours Center, the KidsHealth website offers information about health in children. Several pages are dedicated to classroom physical activity, and include suggestions and strategies for implementation, videos, discussion questions and student worksheets to facilitate increased knowledge on fitness benefits, and more.
- KidsHealth in the Classroom home: http://classroom.kidshealth.org
- Easy Elementary Exercises: http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/bfs-elementary-execises.html?ref=classroom
- Grades preK-2 Fitness: http://kidshealth.org/classroom/prekto2/personal/fitness/fitness.pdf
- Grades 3-5 Fitness: http://kidshealth.org/classroom/3to5/personal/fitness/fitness.pdf
- Boost Grades, Improve Behavior: http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/elementary-exercises.html
- NBA FIT: http://kidshealth.org/classroom/prekto2/personal/fitness/nba_fit_classroom_color.pdf
The Kinesthetic Classroom: Teaching and Learning through Movement
This TEDx talk by the author of the book addresses the principles of the brain in relation to movement and learning.
Learning on the Move
This website, created by physical educator Liz Giles-Brown, shares a similar mission with Classrooms in Motion™ – offering information and resources for active learning – broken down into brain basics, learning to move, and moving to learn categories.
Made to Play
“Our generation is the least active. Ever. And that’s not ok. We’re not looking for a pro.
Just a chance. If you think you have what it takes to get us moving, Nike has a way for you to join in.”
- https://www.nike.com/made-to-play
- Direct link to Designed to Move report: https://www.nike.com/pdf/made-to-play-designed-to-move-2020-report.pdf
Math & Movement
“Math & Movement uses multi-sensory learning approaches to teach students valuable skills to succeed in their school’s math and reading curricula. …students learn through different styles which is why our exercises include teaching with visual, auditory, and kinesthetic elements aligned with most state standards.”
Move Your Body, Grow Your Brain
The authors of this article, who developed a Brain-Based Teaching degree, share strategies for incorporating movement and activity into the classroom as brain-based learning.
Moving Minds Toolkit
This free PDF download, from Moving Minds, is a great resource. Drafted to advocate for active learning, it offers easy-to-read information and graphics on relevant research and implementation. (Must enter name and email to access.)
Physical Activity for Children
This site offers information about physical activity for youth and provides suggestions for parents and communities to support physical activity.
RunJumpThrow
“USA Track & Field and Hershey teamed up to create RunJumpThrow (RJT), a hands-on learning program that gets kids excited about physical activity by introducing them to the basic running, jumping and throwing skills through track and field.”
Safe Routes to School
To promote active transportation to school, this national partnership published a toolkit called “The Wheels on the Bike Go Round & Round: How to Get a Bike Train Rolling at Your School.” The main site also shares background and information to support walking and biking to school.
Springboard to Active Schools
“Since 2016, Springboard to Active Schools supports CDC-funded state departments of health and/or education to promote active school environments in school districts and schools across the country.”
Stand Up Kids
In partnership with Let’s Move! Active Schools, this site shares interesting data on sitting vs. standing, as well as interactive data on outcomes associated with sedentary behavior, such as sitting. Also included within the site is a “Tools” page that offers movement break videos to decrease sitting time in the classroom.
Strategies for Recess in Schools
“Recess helps students to achieve the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity that can improve strength and endurance; enhance academic achievement; and increase self-esteem for children and adolescents. …new guidance documents that provide schools with 19 evidence-based strategies for recess, as well as a planning guide and template to help develop a written recess plan that integrates these strategies.”
TeachHub.com
These two pages from the TeachHub site offer tips and suggestions for incorporating movement into the classroom. *Moss article moved to new site
- Top 12 Classroom Fitness Activities (by Annie Condron)
- How to Use Fitness Breaks to Keep Students Alert in the Classroom (by Dick Moss)
Think Outside the Sandbox: Creative Ways to Keep Kids Active
This site, which was actually put together by a playground equipment company, offers quick suggestions on how to increase physical activity among children along with a list of resources links to other helpful sites.
Using Brain Breaks to Restore Students’ Focus
Filed on Edutopia’s website under ‘brain-based learning’, this article provides the reader an opportunity to “learn about the science and classroom applicability of these quick learning activities.”
Programming to Increase Activity
100 Mile Club
The 100 Mile Club a free program that encourages students to run incremental distances to reach the 100 mile goal across the academic school year. Incentives, including t-shirts, certificates, and pencils, are available for a fee.
BOKS
BOKS (Build Our Kids’ Success) is a free program, sponsored by Reebok, that is lead by volunteer parents before school. Check out all of the program information and how to start a program at your school!
- https://www.bokskids.org
- See also free downloads: https://www.bokskids.org/downloads
The Daily Mile
The Daily Mile, started in the UK, engages students in 15 minutes of running each day while at school. Given the success and simplicity of this free program, schools around the world are getting their students active using The Daily Mile.
- Home: https://www.thedailymile.org
- United States site: https://www.thedailymile.us
SEL Journeys (by CATCH)
SEL Journeys is “a digital experience that allows students to explore the world through movement and the arts while focusing on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) themes like diversity, empathy and kindness.” Some free resources and demonstrations are available; pricing available on request.
Marathon Kids
Marathon Kids, now partnered with Nike, invites schools to start running clubs to get students active.
My School in Motion
The motto of the My School in Motion program, “Moving together every morning for healthier minds, bodies, and attitudes!”, is achieved through “a school-wide daily fitness, nutrition, health and wellness program performed at the beginning of every school day.” Contact My School in Motion, Inc. today to get your school in motion!
Physical Activity: Interventions to Increase Active Travel to School
“The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends interventions to increase active travel to school based on evidence they increase walking among students and reduce risks for traffic-related injury.”
