How to boost Primary School PE Post Covid 19 Lockdown

In view of the rising coronavirus cases, the lockdown was imposed in the UK which brought along with it many challenges. Parents had to juggle work while simultaneously looking after their kids’ schooling from home. The ‘new normal’ of online education, which is largely sedentary, reduced physical activity in young children, and PE which was more easily integrated & sustained in school took a complete backseat.

Before the pandemic, outdoor sports, after school activities, and organised travel was a large part of the kids day-to-day activities organised by their primary PE teachers. However, distance learning made this impossible. But, with the schools re-opening, learning new ways to boost primary school PE is important. Thus, let’s check how we – at Inspired Schools – can help you with it, along with some tips on sports and physical education that kids can follow while being confined at home.

1. Why Physical Activity is Important for Kids?

The World Health Organization has provided some guidelines that recommend at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day for children and adolescents to enhance their physical health and promote emotional well-being. The physical activity could include moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise routine like jumping, aerobics, yoga and mindfulness etc. Being physically active can support the immune system. It can also reduce anxiety, stress and social isolation in kids and adults brought on by COVID-19.

The motive behind this initiative is to increase the amount of time students & caregivers are active and limit the amount of time they spent being sedentary. This will also help decrease behavioural problems while improving their physical health and mental wellness. Increased physical activity is associated with improved bone health, muscle fitness, and cardiovascular health. It can also help reduce the risk of obesity amongst children. Being physically active can improve cognitive functions and boosts concentration & focus. This, in turn, ensures that children and adolescents stay on-task in the classroom, which will increase engagement in learning.

2. What Physical Activities Can Kids Do to Stay Fit?

• Walk Everywhere:

  

  The easiest way to stay physically fit and mentally agile is to take a walk with your kids as often as you can. Walk to the grocery store, ditch the elevator and walk up the steps, take your dog out for a walk and stroll the neighbourhood. Walking can help increase energy levels in kids and the fresh air can help elevate their mood.

• Make the most of online PE lessons: Unlike the hands-on physical education in primary schools, online physical education may seem like an odd concept for most parents. But, it’s the need of the hour. From PE with Joe – a 30-minute workout session – that is live-streamed on YouTube to yoga workouts for preschool and elementary kids, there are various easy-to-follow, at-home PE lessons for everyone available online that you can try today!
• Indoor Games:

  

  These include skipping, playing tag, or balloon volleyball. For primary school kids, sorting objects in different colours can be another game they are likely to enjoy. Musical chairs, charades, or Simon says are a few other fun games & indoor activities ideas for kids, wherein the entire family can participate.

• Running:

  

  Kids are natural runners, so it is easy to encourage and instil in them a love of running. Running is an excellent way for the kids to get some exercise while having fun. You can play tag with them or create an obstacle course in your backyard. The idea here is to keep it simple and let your kids set the pace.

• Dancing:

  

  Who doesn’t love to dance? Just play the music and dance along with your kids. Dancing is one of the most positive exercise routines that provide a full-body workout.

• Cycling:

  

  For a change of pace and surroundings, you can go cycling with your kids around the neighbourhood. In young children, cycling helps boost self-confidence and improves motor skills by enhancing coordination and endurance. It can also help strengthen their core and leg muscles.

• Be Creative: If you want to get your kids moving, you need to be creative. Don’t let boredom set in. Try a mix-match of different routines like karate with kids and fun quizzes to some basic stretching and bending exercises. The possibility is endless.
• Set a Daily Exercise Time: Physical activity can impact all areas of a kids life (and yours too). Apart from helping kids stay physically fit, it can boost their psychological, emotional, and social well-being. So, make sure to set a daily exercise time, wherein you work out together. This will help improve the overall health of the family.

3. How Can We Help Boost Physical Education in Primary Schools Post COVID-19 Lockdown?

With months spend in lockdown with little to no exercise, we have to get the children moving and get them active, especially with the re-opening of primary schools post COVID-19 lockdown. Taking into consideration the operational guidance and public health advice endorsed by Public Health England (PHE), we have to inspire children with new games as they slowly acclimate to the ‘new normal.’ This is where we at Inspired Schools can help primary PE teachers to deliver social distancing PE lessons.

3.1 Planning What to Teach & How and Guidance

Physical education in primary schools is likely to undergo a vast change. We can assist primary PE teachers to help young children adjust to this new routine; helping them regain their momentum. We understand that the needs of each school will vary, and as such, offer new socially distanced lesson plans that will provide children with more opportunities for exercise.

We’ll offer guidance on how to best use the outside space and shared rooms.

• For Outside space: Outdoors is the best place for exercise, and we can help you plan supervised non-touch running games and PE lessons within the group. These specially designed PE lessons will limit transmission and allow for the required social distance between children and staff. You can also try Inspired playgrounds – Check out these videos to learn more.
• For shared rooms: Halls, dining areas, internal & external sports facilities can be used at half capacity for lunch and exercise. Supervision during breaks is needed to ensure that children do not mix and maintain distance. Also, adequate cleaning is required in between groups for these areas. Limiting the use of shared resources is also important. This includes the exchange of stationery and other equipment. Also, frequent cleaning and disinfection of shared material, equipment and surfaces are critical.

3.2 Solutions, Equipment, Logistics, Games/Activities and Other Ideas

• An ideal solution to limit the risk of transmission is to have sanitiser stations in and out of PE. Train children in a small group so you can easily manage and supervise them, especially for outdoor PE.
• Let the children come to school in PE kit, which is especially beneficial for EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) age 3-5 and Year 1 (age 5-7), as they won’t need to change before the PE session.
• Primary PE teachers can carry out their practical lessons provided each piece of equipment is clean thoroughly. Rotate the equipment so each group works with a piece of specific equipment, which can be wiped down and sanitise after each use before the next group uses it.
• You can use a Group kit wherein each group is given a kit bag/box. This could include 3-5 tennis balls, a football or rubber ball, a tennis racket, cricket bat, rounders bat, 10 cones, bean bags, and hoops.
• Or you can try the rotational kit technique wherein one group does a specific type of activity for that period i.e. tennis. Then the equipment rotates and is deeply cleaned before the kit moves to the other group.
• Some activities that primary PE teachers can include in their social distancing PE lessons that require no equipment are races, jumps, bean games, warm-up games, dance and HIIT workouts or circuits.
• Other ideas our coaches have been using include zone ball, footgolf, hoop ball, bop it, squares, etc.
• Our vision is to create more active and healthier schools. We can help get your sports leaders fully trained to raise physical activity levels at your school. If you require advice on PE provision, then get in touch with us to know how we can help!