The fit4Schools Blog Post

With one eye reluctantly on the return to school, no doubt you are looking for some great ideas to start the year off with a bang. Well, have I got some ideas for you! Courtesy of the good people at Sanford Health I’m going to share with you a great interactive idea that can be used by teachers and students alike to incorporate brain boosts into their routine, followed by some resources and programs that are easy, fun, free to use and are aligned with national standards. Finally there’s a free to enter sweepstakes that will give 16 teachers the chance to win some pretty sweet prizes!!! All prizes are valued at $650.

Sanford Health, in conjunction with WebMD have created fit4Schools a health activation program aimed to empower children and families to do the simple things each day that make healthy lifestyle choices a habit. Specifically aimed at K-6 students and educators, the fit system of resources and programs include school programs, childcare training, mobile apps, and websites showcasing fun, interesting and useful content. fit‘s programs and resources build the awareness that RECHARGE and MOOD influence FOOD and MOVE choices, then activate healthy lifestyle choices.

So, first let me tell you about fitBoost. Located on the fit4Schools website, fitBoost is a fun, interactive page that has 3 spinning wheels, similar to an old fashioned slot machine, with the difference being, instead of hoping for 3 cherries, your spin will give you a warm up, a move, and a cool down. Totally randomized, these three activities last 3 minutes and can add a move and a recharge to the start of a lesson, the start of a faculty meeting, or inserted into a classroom session when a brain boost is required!

I guarantee that students (and faculty) will enjoy the interactive nature of the page. It’s fun and in line with the fit4Schools ethos of making movement something that is enjoyable and ultimately habitual.

*I played around with a GIF app to make the image below, but you’ll get a MUCH better experience by going to the website.

Secondly I promised you some free resources that you can use immediately with your students. The fit4Schools site contains a wealth of resources, including downloads, scope & sequence charts, daily activity links, extension activities for students and information that can be sent home to parents. The extensive range of free resources target the four areas below. I’ve included links to some examples of these resources.

Students will be able to challenge themselves with a series of fun activities as they work towards achieving the objectives of the unit. In addition to improving their own health, there are activities that can be taken home and shared with the family, thus extending the reach of your teaching into the community.

Finally, to the freebies! This is the link that you will need to enter the sweepstakes and possibly win a Rainy Day Kit, a Get Moving for P.E. Kit, or a Classroom Active Seating Kit. Teachers can select the prize kit of their choice if selected. There will be 16 winners. All prizes are valued at $650.

The Rainy Day Kit Includes:

A giant tower game
A physical activity BINGO set
Clever Catch™ activity balls
A set of fitBoost cards
Plus loads of other indoor get-moving games and activities including hula hoops, a dance CD, beach balls and more

The Get Moving for PE Kit includes:

6 SST™ Scooters
24 ACTION™ ToppleTubes™
A huge parachute
A set of fitBoost cards
Plus all of the balls, Frisbees, jump ropes and more to make your P.E. class awesome.

The Classroom Active Seating Kit includes:

3 ergoErgo chairs
6 BALLance™ stability balls
A Yze standing desk
A set of fitBoost cards and Brain Breaks activities

The Flexible Seating Kit includes:

Tabletop standing desk
Mogo active seat
Active seat cushions
Deskcycle
Stability ball chair
Stability ball set

Whether you have just returned to school, or are days away from welcoming your students, I wish you a great school year ahead. See if you can incorporate one of the ideas mentioned above over the coming weeks, but be sure to enter the sweepstakes. Good luck!

If you like this post, you’ll also appreciate the following:

10 Free Ways to Develop Professionally Over Spring Break A list of 10 ways in which you can hone your craft, in your own time, without spending a dime.

Free Health PD A more comprehensive, one-stop-shop, with a wealth of great resources for health teachers. Grab a coffee and take a look!