How to stay active during this quarantine? The simple answer here is to be active and to encourage activity. One positive result of the social isolation requirement is that people seem to be embracing the opportunity to go for a run, or a walk, or a bike ride. It is critically important to stay home and maintain social distancing, but our shelter-in-place regulations permit outdoor exercise. In the past few weeks, I have seen more people on the sidewalks than I have in the past few years. Children and parents are out for a walk. Children are on their bikes (wear a helmet!) and rollerblades while parents walk or run or push strollers. The multiple benefits gained from these activities extend past those specific to physical activity. Getting outside, especially when we’re cooped up indoors for a majority of the day, positively impacts mental health. Spending time with loved ones, away from media or screens, positively impacts social and psychological health. And, of course, engaging in physical activity is good for mental, social, psychological, and physical health.
When outdoor activity is not available, and to supplement those helmeted bike-rides, there are numerous resources available to parents and educators to promote physical activity during quarantine. (Updated September 2020)
- CATCH Global Foundation: https://www.catch.org/pages/health-at-home
- Alliance for a Healthier Generation: https://www.healthiergeneration.org/campaigns/covid-19
- AHG and Kohl’s Moving More at Home: https://www.healthiergeneration.org/campaigns/kohls-healthy-at-home/moving-more
- Moving Minds: https://blog.moving-minds.com
- Direct link to At-Home Activities & Resources: https://blog.moving-minds.com/category/at-home-activities-resources
- Wayne State University Center for Health and Community Impact: https://dl.orangedox.com/HealthyKidsQuarantined
- Action for Healthy Kids (includes activity plus other health resources): https://www.actionforhealthykids.org/back-to-school-resources/
- Action for Healthy Kids Game On: https://www.actionforhealthykids.org/game-on-activity-library
- GoNoodle: https://www.gonoodle.com
- Wide Open School (select appropriate grade level range – from preK-12)
- Online Physical Education Network: https://openphysed.org/penow
- Marathon Kids: https://marathonkids.org/parents/
- Sworkit app: https://sworkit.com
- Minutes of Movement videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2eEMDPxQVdBwSoMKhpTDhMWPk58WmUTy
