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Physical Education (PE) is included as regular part of a child’s education. PE classes help children improve their physical fitness, develop motor skills, and may also promote psychological well-being. In a homeschool setting, participation in regular PE activities can provide these same benefits. This article reviews two homeschool PE curriculum options. Homeschool physical education books and other resources are also suggested.
Family Time Fitness homeschool PE curriculum.
Overview
The Family Time Fitness homeschool PE curriculum is currently an internet-based subscription program. The Core Level 1 program is designed for children ages 5-10. Additional program options are available for children over 10 years of age. I originally purchased the Core level 1 program as a pdf download prior to the company switching to a subscription-based program. My review is based off of the version I use.
Each Activity Lesson includes a warm up, an activity, a cool down, and suggested outdoor activities. Each exercise/activity is demonstrated in a video (in my version there is a link to a YouTube video). The required supplies are inexpensive and fairly easy to obtain. There are 260 lessons in the program I purchased.
Benefits
This PE curriculum is easy to implement and requires little preparation. I pull out the materials, watch the videos, and follow along. My children have loved viewing and exercising with the videos. The video clips are short and fit within the range of my childrens’ limited attention spans.
Limitations
The videos do require internet access. In order to watch them on the TV screen, I have used our apple TV to stream them from my iPad.
Dancercise Kids
Overview
Although this program is designed for dance teachers, I used it in homeschool without any problem and with minimal dance experience. There is a subscription service (the year I used this program, it cost about $20 per month) giving you access to video demonstrations, dance routines, lessons, and the original songs. The program incorporates fitness, jazz, tap, ballet, and tumbling. Sign language is also included in many of the dance routines. This curriculum is designed for younger children and would probably be a best fit for children ages 4-7.
Benefits
I used this program in a similar format to the Family Time Fitness. I watched the dance routines with my children and we completed them with the videos. My children enjoyed the dances and songs.
Limitations
After moving to an area where we received an allotment to cover homeschool curriculum, I wanted to cancel my subscription and switch it to be covered within our allotment. I e-mailed Dancercise Kids to cancel. The company attempted to charge my credit card for at least 2 months after I tried to cancel. Due to this hiccup, I did not start a new subscription. Even though I loved the dances and the curriculum, I have since been hesitant to sign up for this program again.
Other Homeschool PE Books and Resources to Consider
I will be using the following books for PE activities during the 2017-2018 school year. These materials are still on order, so I have not used them yet. I will review them after we have used them for several months.
- Ultimate Homeschool Physical Eduction Game Book by Guy Bailey
- 303 Kid-Approved Exercises and Active Games by Kimberly Wechsler
- Yoga Therapy for Children with Autism and Special Needs by Louise Goldberg. CLICK HERE to read my review of this book and Yoga-related PE materials.
- The Complete Idiot’s Guide to T’ai Chi & QiGong Illustrated, Fourth Edition
- Just Dance Kids 2014 for Xbox
- Zumba Kids for Xbox
- How to teach your baby to swim: From birth to age 6 by Douglas Doman
Summary of Homeschool PE Options
Regular physical activity is important for developing muscles, strength, and overall health. Most children needs at least 1 hour of physical activity per day. CLICK HERE to read more about the benefits of physical activity the the required physical activity needs of children. A PE curriculum can be used to help homeschooled children meet their daily physical activity needs. There are a limited number of choices for homeschool PE curricula. Family Time Fitness is the only option I have come across that is a full curriculum appropriate for multiple age groups. Supplementary activities from books and games could be used to piece together a PE curriculum appropriate for your homeschool or as a way to provide more variety when using a full curriculum, like Family Time Fitness.