Recreation Guy

A few weeks ago we started an after school program based around fitness. If you have ever tried to plan a fitness program for kids you know that it’s not as easy as having the kids run and do sit-ups. You want the kids to enjoy themselves so that they will continue to be active throughout their childhood.

So when we started planning the class I suggested we purchase FitDeck Junior. My staff asked me the same question I’m sure your thinking. What in the world is a FitDeck?

FitDeck is a special deck of playing cards. Each card has either a movement, stretch or exercise on it with illustrations and instructions. The movements, stretches and exercises require no equipment. They require only a person’s bodyweight to perform.

While there are a variety of decks (I personally have the bodyweight deck and love it) I’ll be focusing on the Junior version here.

AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Here are some ideas taken from the Fit Deck website:

• Obstacle course – set up a mini obstacle course inside or outside; set up stations that require children to run around, over, through, or inside. At each obstacle, children must perform a FitDeck Jr. card that is assigned.
• Scavenger Hunt – place cards around house, playground, classroom, daycare, or hallways; children split into two groups; teams are challenged to find cards, return to home base, perform exercise, and return to find rest of cards.
• Color Stations – set up four exercise stations that represent the four FitDeck Jr. colors (blue, red, orange, green); children rotate from station to station and perform that station’s cards.
• Relay Races – using relay race-friendly FitDeck Junior cards (duck walk, knee taps, bear crawl, crab crawl), administer a relay race with two teams. Cards are selected by the teams at random.

You’ll want to get the FitDeck Junior Games and Activities Booklet which has over 70 games and activities for kids. FitDeck Junior is also a perfect indoor fitness solution when outdoor activities are cancelled due to inclement weather.

CAMP PROGRAMS

While all of the activities you see above can be used with great success in a camp environment, below are a couple of other suggestions. You may want to use FitDeck Bodyweight for these.

• Sunrise Movement – as the kids wake-up (resident camp) or arrive at camp (day camp) have each camper in the group choose a card randomly. Then have the kids perform each card.
• Tough Stuff – set-up a “Ranger” or “SEAL” program where (resident camp) campers are invited to get up before everyone else for morning PT (physical training). I did this one summer at camp and had around 30 kids take part. They felt like they were part of something that other campers were not. They felt great about themselves. We included running with our bodyweight work, I wish I had the FitDeck at the time. It would have made the program 100x better.
• Warm-ups – sports are a big part of many, if not most, camps (day or resident). Have the campers randomly choose a few FitDeck cards to perform as a warm-up.

FUNDRAISER

Selling FitDecks can be a wonderful and appropriate fundraiser these days. Instead of selling cookies and candy at the next bake sale, try selling fitness. Children can sell FitDecks to parents, coaches, neighbors, and to the public.