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Our world today is so different from the world I grew up in as a kid. I’m sure all you moms out there can relate, though, I may be dating myself. Computers weren’t in every home and used on a daily basis for everything. We had video games, but it didn’t seem like such an addiction as it is today. I have a hard time understanding today’s world with kids on phones, tablets, and computers all the time.

Back in my day… ha, ha, ha. I know I’m getting old when I’m starting a sentence off like that. It is true, though. As a kid, we played outside all the time and didn’t need our parents forcing us to go out to play. We rode bikes, played ball, would roller-skate for hours, and run around the woods and neighborhood. It was fun.

I feel like technology gets in the way of our kids seeing the fun of playing outdoors. As homeschoolers, our kids certainly have more opportunities for outdoor play and to be more active. Which is great since physical education is a requirement we have to include in our homeschool curriculum.

So what can we do that would count as physical education? Here are some ways we have found to include gym time into our school year.

Tips on How to Include Physical Education in Your Homeschool

Family Walks or Hikes

We are a scouting family. We try to include family hikes and walks into our life. This is, of course, a great way to incorporate physical education into your homeschool. It is a great way to get some fresh air and get out of the house. It is simple for everyone to do together since you can find easy or hard walking routes to take.

We are including walking every day after lunch in our schedule this year. We will start with a mile-long walk and build it up. With scouts starting back up, we will be hiking with our den, too.

Town Recreation Sports

Many towns have recreation departments that offer many sports for the kids in the town to participate in. If yours doesn’t, a nearby town may have one that will allow your kids to join. Usually, there is an extra fee if you aren’t a resident of that town.

My kids have been taking part in our town’s recreation department since they were little. They started with t-ball and added in other sports over the years like soccer and basketball. They have loved it but are starting to age out of the program.

Participating in a town’s recreation department, though, is a good way for kids to learn the skills of a game and how to play as a team. It is a perfect P.E. activity for your homeschool.

Fun in Your Backyard

There is so much to do right in your own backyard. We have spent many nights as a family, this summer, playing badminton. I figured if I had to do tennis and volleyball when I was in school, why wouldn’t this count for my kids?

Over the years, the kids have also had a lot of fun with obstacle courses. We include jumping over things, swinging from ropes on the swing set, climbing ramps, and running around different items in the yard.

To add some fun into an obstacle course, I will time the kids to see if they can beat their previous time or in my son’s case see if he is faster than his sister. They have a lot of fun, and you can make the course different each time. 

Other physical education ideas in your own backyard include:

• Jump ropes
• Hula Hoops
• Frisbee
• Tag- so many versions of this
• A different version of hopscotch (see here)
• Biking
• Scooters
• Skateboarding
• Sledding
• Roller-skating
• Trampoline

Lessons

We have so many opportunities in our communities for kids to choose from for physical education requirements. Google an activity and someone nearby may be providing the service you need.

My kids take swim lessons in the nearby town. They know how to swim, at this point, but take part in the pre-competitive swim lessons because they enjoy it. For an hour each week, they work on different strokes, form, and skills needed for competitions. The local YMCA has a swim team they could join, but they haven’t wanted to do so yet.

Other great opportunities for P.E. requirements are:

• Martial Arts
• Gymnastics
• Dance
• Horseback riding
• Ice-skating
• Yoga

School’s Physical Education Program or After-School Sports

Many schools, provided they have space, will allow homeschoolers to participate in gym time in the public school. This has never been an option for us because the school offers Phys Ed two times a week and both my kids would be on different days or at different times. We live nine miles from the school so the driving isn’t worth it, either. I know many homeschoolers that have their kids do physical education at public schools.

Now that my daughter is in sixth-grade rec sports are not an option, though, she could try out for the school district’s sports teams. She has not wanted to try out for any of the teams but is considering the swim team when she hits high school.

Other Activities to Consider

Other activities we have done or have seen offered are:

• Go Noodle– This is such a fun website. My kids love to go on and pick different activities to do. It has so many options to get kids dancing and moving. It is a blast! I guarantee your kids will be hooked.
  
• Pop in an indoor walking DVD, exercise video or find something on YouTube to get the kids moving.
• Put on some music and dance. My son loves to dance to Kids Bop CDs.
• Create your own indoor obstacle course.
• Go to your local trampoline or inflatables (bounce house) parks
• Bowling
• Ice-skating or roller-skating rink
• Indoor climbing walls
• Mini golf

The nice thing is we have a lot of businesses that are reaching out to the homeschool community and offering deals each month to homeschool families. Throughout my state, there are special days for homeschoolers for the trampoline park, bowling, swimming, climbing walls, skating rinks, and so many more. It helps with our budget and keeps the kids active.

We are always trying to find different ways to make staying active fun AND count towards our Physical Education requirements. I am making it my mission to find ways to keep my kids active even as they head into the tween years.

What activities do you do with your kids for Physical Education?