Homeschool Physical Education

One argument parents get when they mention homeschool is “what about gym class?” An understandable question. With our current society childhood obesity is running wild. What would happen if a child did not get gym class?

The truth is we look at physical education the wrong way. In public school kids get together for an hour twice a week to run off extra energy. Homeschool physical education is different.

What is Homeschool Physical Education?

Not into organized activities? That’s okay homeschool physical education is does not have to be organized. Just get up and get out that counts. Go for a walk. Go hiking. Ride bikes. Play at the park.

You can have fun and get plenty of physical activity. In fact, your homeschool child is likely to get much more activity than other children. School takes only a couple of hours a day.

Simple tips for homeschooling PE

Dedicated PE Time: One of the first things you should do is decide on a regular time slot for PE each week. This could be once or twice a week, depending on your schedule and your children’s needs. Setting aside dedicated time for PE is important because it ensures that physical activity becomes a priority in your homeschool.

Age-Appropriate Activities: When it comes to choosing activities for PE, it’s important to consider your children’s age, interests, and abilities. For younger children, simple games like Simon Says, Duck, Duck, Goose, and Red Light, Green Light can be great for getting them moving and having fun. Older children may enjoy more complex games like capture the flag or dodgeball. The key is to find activities that are both fun and challenging for your children.

Physical Activities Throughout the Day: In addition to dedicated PE time, try to incorporate physical activities into your daily routine. This could include a morning walk, playing outside during breaks, or doing chores together that require physical activity. By incorporating physical activities throughout the day, you can help your children build a healthy habit of staying active.

A Fun and Safe Environment: When it comes to PE in homeschooling, it’s important to create a fun and safe environment for your children to participate in physical activities. Make sure that your children have enough space to safely participate, and encourage them to follow the rules and respect each other during play.

Tracking Progress and Celebrating Achievements: Keeping track of your children’s progress and celebrating their achievements is a great way to motivate them and help them stay engaged in PE. Whether it’s running a faster time in a relay race or successfully completing a challenging obstacle course, it’s important to acknowledge your children’s hard work and progress.

Making PE a Family Activity: Finally, consider making PE a family activity. Encourage your whole family to participate in PE activities and make it a fun, bonding experience for everyone. By making PE a family activity, you can not only promote physical fitness, but also create special memories and strengthen your family bonds.

How our family does homeschool physical education.

For us homeschool physical education is about having fun and being active a bit each day. These kids only get one childhood. We like a have fun and don’t sweat it approach. From swimming on a nice day, to running laps at a truck stop while traveling homeschool P.E. options are endless.

The kids love there dance class with Mother Goose Time (well the girls do…) I love the fun active games that come with Mother Goose Time as well with activities like yoga made fun and exciting or running around pretending to be an animal. Worst case we can pull out the monthly CD and set the kids off to a bit of free dancing to work out those wiggles to help the children focus.

Physical activity is a major part of our treatment for ADHD in our oldest. What ways do you get active in your homeschool?

Simple Activities for Physical Education in your homeschool.

• go for a hike
• ride bikes
• play basketball
• go for a swim

Want more encouragement and tips for homeschool moms? Check out the entire Enocuragemet for moms series and some great homeschool bloggers with even more goodies for your homeschooling journey here.