Physical Education for Homeschool Families

You bought all the curriculum you need for the upcoming school year...history, math, reading, and science and you thought you had it all covered, but then you thought back to your own school days and remembered PE class.  Then your wheels begin to turn.

How am I going to handle PE for my kids?  Do they actually need PE?  I'm not athletic and hated PE, what should I do?

Thankfully, just like every other curriculum you needed, there are homeschool PE classes too!

You actually have more options to teach your children physical education than you can possibly imagine!  Let's explore a few of them.

Organized Physical Education Classes

1.  Many homeschool co-ops offer a PE class so if you're part of a co-op that may be the simplest solution especially if you want your kids to have the big PE class experience with relay races, dodgeball, tag, kickball, and other activities that require larger numbers of children.  (A large group is also fun if you want your kids to enjoy the giant parachute activities you loved in your grade school PE class!)

2. If you're near a larger metro area you may be able to find groups that offer many elective-type homeschool classes such as music, band, choir, PE, and even sports.  Search online and ask in your local Facebook or other homeschool mom support groups. 

3. Start your own group for PE if you like!  Meet other homeschoolers once a week at a local park for physical education activities.

Do It Yourself Physical Education Classes

Thankfully, as with all other things homeschool curriculum-related, we have many options so we can find what works best for our families.

Here are two wonderful curriculum resources worth looking into that are available that help you teach physical fitness and health to your children:

The Schoolyard

For families with younger chlidren, The Schoolyard offers multiple curriculum options so that you can teach PE at home.  They specialize in Swedish Drill and use a gentle Charlotte Mason-style approach that is a wonderful way to introduce your children to physical fitness. They even offer desk drill exercises your children can do easily between lessons which makes for a lovely way to break up your school day and help your children focus on their lessons.

F.O.R.M. Fitness

For families with elementary, middle school and even high school students, F.O.R.M. Fitness is an excellent choice.  F.O.R.M combines teaching about health, fitness, and nourishment with a Biblical focus.  With F.O.R.M. you'll have lifetime access for your whole family so that the curriculum can serve your family for many years.  

Physical Education/Fitness as a Family Lifestyle

Here is where the freedom of homeschooling really comes into play!  Physical Education does not have to be a "subject" we teach.  Instead it can just be part of our family lifestyle, offering benefits for the parents as well as the children.

As you're preparing healthy meals for your family, discuss health-related topics such as why you choose healthy foods over sugary snacks.  Keep a bowl of washed fruit on the counter, ready for your children to grab whenever they need a quick snack.  

Create a family activity schedule that includes walking around the block, hiking a family-friendly trail in a nearby park, playing together at the park, kayaking in a nearby lake, or going on bike rides together.  

Take breaks throughout your homeschool day to get outside and move around.  It will help your children enjoy nature, relax between lessons, and get fresh air in their lungs.

No matter how you decide to provide your children with physical education as part of your homeschool, make it fun for them and for you!

Habits for Life

One last thought for you, I've always believed that part of the joy and the responsibility of homeschooling is to help my children build healthy habits that can last them for a lifetime.  Habits like making their beds every morning and keep their rooms tidy, helping keep the whole house clean by following a cleaning schedule, and prioritizing eating healthy foods and incorporating exercise into their days. 

We're not perfect and there are many days we don't fit exercise into our schedules, but on the days that we do, either collectively or individually, I notice that in addition helping us feel physically better and more energized exercise as helps lift our moods.  When someone in our home is having a hard day, one of the first things I usually encourage them to do is to go for a walk.  Nature, fresh air, and movement go a long, long way to helping our mental health.