Fun Ideas for Homeschool PE

I never ever had fun in Gym class, with the exception of one year. That year the girls’ gym flooded at the high school warping the brand new floors. While it was being repaired, we got to have PE class with the boys. I loved it. I did not have to worry about the bigger girls trying to hit me in the head with the volleyball or beat me into oblivion with the dodge ball. They were far too busy flirting with the boys to do that. Besides, I had the option to use the gym equipment instead. I spent my time challenging the boys to weight lifting contests. I usually won with the leg press. That year I was able to choose my gym activities without worrying about being damaged by bullies was the only positive experience I had regarding PE. Sometimes I wonder if my aversion to PE fueled my aversion to exercise.

Here are some ideas you can use to make sure your child loves exercising:

âÂ?¢ Gear it to their interests: If you know your child is partial to a particular sport, why wouldn’t you go outside everyday and do it. All you have to do to balance out their PE efforts is to teach them the importance of stretching first and find some cross training activities that will give them better performance in their chosen sport. For example, if fencing is your child’s favorite sport (as it is mine) then convince them that running twice a week will improve their fencing performance. After all, it is true
� Keep it fun: When a sport turns from fun to a chore, give them a break from it and try something new. Remember, if they begin to hate it, you will have on less activity that they will carry into adulthood.
� Do varied Activities: Doing the same activity all the time can develop some muscles while ignoring others. This is why some football players are forced into doing ballet. Find other sports activities that will balance out their fitness routine. You may even want to consider switching sports activities according to the time of the year. Swimming makes sense in the summer months, while hockey is a natural activity for winter.
� Make it high tech: Considering the fact that we live in a high tech world, one would think that Physical Education Activities would also be high tech. You can use heart monitors to demonstrate to your child the benefit of running and when it becomes effective. You may also want to have exercise equipment in your home that your children can use during inclement weather. One great piece of equipment/game that your child will be sure to use is Dance Dance Revolution.

*Dance Dance Revolution is is a music video game series produced by Konami. It was first introduced to Japanese video arcades in 1998, after being shown at the Tokyo Game Show earlier that year. Since then, the game has gained significant popularity elsewhere in the world, including large portions of North America and Europe. (WIKIPEDIA.COM)