Nutrition Lesson Plan for Joyful Movement with Kids
Objectives:
- To understand the benefits of movement
- To experience joyful movement
- To brainstorm new ideas for joyful movement, that are different than traditional ways of thinking about “exercise” and “movement.”
Intro (5 min) Discussion: What are the benefits of movement? What movements do you do (if any)? How do you feel when you move? Benefits include boosting mood, increasing happiness, helping with sleep, increasing mobility and strength.
Interactive Experience: (30-60 min) Lead the group on an interactive exploration of different movements. Ideas include: walking🚶♀️, scootering🛴, roller blading, soccer⚽️ shooting hoops 🏀 , hiking, four-square, hop-scotch, choosing what works by age and season. Participants can explore which movements are fun and which ones they are most drawn to. Leader can point out how it feels to be outside and together in nature🌴.
Discussion/Snack: (20 min). Recover and rehydrate with a homemade trail mix +fluids💪🥤!
Trail mix can include: chex mix as base, dried fruit (mango, craisins, raisins, banana chips), nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews), chocolate chips, crushed yogurt covered pretzel, others. Discuss what the group felt, and experienced? What did they like.
Closing Game: (25 min) “Movement Scattergories.” Divide the group into two groups. Have the kids come up with movement ideas from A-Z. Each team gets a point for unique answers only (answers that the other team did not have). Double points are given for doubles words using that letter (example “cross country” or “ping pong” – but no points given if the other team also had these 😂).
For your free blank download of “Movement Scattergories from A-Z” click link below:
ANSWER KEY:
Movement Ideas A-Z:
Archery/Acrobatics
Baseball/basketball/balance beam
Cross-country running
Dancing (or Diving?)
Exercise classes/Equestrianism
Fencing/Football
Gardening/Gymnastics
Hide and seek/Hockey/Horseback riding
Ice hockey/Ice Skating
Jet-skiing/jumping rope/juggling
Kung Fu/Kick ball
Lacrosse/Line Dancing
Mountain biking/Marching Band
Newcomb/Nature Walking
Open water swimming/Olympic sports
Pilates/Ping point/paint ball
Quidditch/quarterbacking
Roller skating/running/racing
Skiing/Stand Up Paddle Boarding/Soccer/Scavenger hunts
Tennis/Table Tennis
Ultimate Frisbee/Unicycling
Volleyball
Walking/Wall Ball
XC Running
Yoga
Zumba/Ziplining