BOKS SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: ST. EVAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

BOKS SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT
ST. EVAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Here at St. Evan, we have had the pleasure to promote and participate in a variety of BOKS programs, ranging from the BOKS Bursts to the BOKS Program, in the 2 years that we have opened our doors to our school community. My name is Cristina Pupo, grade 1 teacher at St. Evan Elementary School and I would like to take this time to share our BOKS experience with you all.

MRS. PUPO TWITTER

First, let me share with you the positive impacts the BOKS program had with our Eagles. Pre-COVID, we were fortunate enough to be able to run a lunch program over a period of approximately 13 weeks with our students in grades 3-5. With an early school start, we decided to dedicate 2 lunch periods a week where a group of 40 students in grades 3-5 were able to come to the gym, run, participate in a variety of cooperative games, then end with a nutritional lesson on healthy eating. We started each lesson with a brief run around the gym to build up their stamina. We encouraged our students to never give up, and with patience, determination, and hard work, we would notice a positive result. Throughout the program, we noticed students who were once shy and thought they couldn’t run, ended up portraying such confidence and athleticism that they never knew they had. Students were having fun, learning new skills, and building up their running stamina (which was great for our Cross Country runners), all while displaying great sportsmanship behavior. Each week we would distribute 2 BOKS Kid of the Week certificates to 2 students – 1 boy and 1 girl – who displayed a positive attitude, showed determination and worked great on a team. The excitement in the students’ eyes every Thursday was such an incredible feeling. Seeing the students challenge their classmates and friends on different skills at recess also put a smile on my face. Not only were they learning during the lunch hour a new skill, but they took that skill and shared it with their friends who were not a part of the program and challenged them to try it out. Our BOKS Kids were also applying the cooperative games we learned in the program and teaching their teachers and friends at recess as well. You could tell the students really enjoyed having BOKS when they were so sad the program came to an end.

In addition to the BOKS program we ran during the lunch hour, we also participated in weekly BOKS Bursts. Teachers were emailed a week’s worth of Bursts to complete during their DPA times. BOKS offers lots of great training for staff and we were lucky enough to have Kyla, our BOKS Regional Coordinator, come into our school to lead a Lunch and Learn with all our staff to train them on how to perform a variety of Bursts and how to have fun with them. Also, having the BOKS Bursts videos on our SMARTBoards, allowed our students to see the activity in action. In addition to sending weekly BOKS Bursts through e-mail, we also created a box of hands-on material, such as different skills and activities, which were taken from the BOKS website to store in each classroom POD, for those classes that did not have a SMARTBoard. BOKS Bursts have now become one of our main forms of DPA activities we do at our school.

When COVID hit our schools, which had us all switch to online learning, we thought, how are we going to keep our BOKS initiatives up and running to keep our students fit? I created a BOKS digital classroom which was shared with all our staff who uploaded it to their Google Classrooms. This also became a go-to activity for our Physical Education teachers to refer to. My students are used to moving their bodies throughout the day, especially when we are sitting for a while. My students also love participating in challenges and encouraging other students in our school. The BOKS 100-point challenge was a wonderful way to kick off 2021 and start each lesson. Once my students came back from their break, we got our bodies up and moving while listening to some of their favorite upbeat songs. We started off with the easier movements first, but then they wanted more of a challenge! I noticed a huge improvement in their focus levels and participation that week, completing the challenge. We left 2 activities off the list – the 1 min plank and 5 min run. My students still ask me if we can still try completing the last 2 movements! These are a few examples of how we have kept moving during virtual school.

If I had to describe BOKS in one sentence it would look like this:

BOKS is a FREE physical education program that focuses on the student’s health and well-being, while teaching them new skills, challenging them to new limits, and ensuring they are creating an overall healthy image of themselves.

BOKS is a must-have in every school. BOKS is fun and energetic, waking up our brains which in turn, ends up helping with our student’s academic behaviors in the classroom as well.

Cristina Pupo
Grade 1 Teacher
St. Evan Elementary School
Caledon, ON

How to Keep Physical Activity FUN?

If someone were to ask you “what is the first thing you think about when you think about BOKS?”, what would that thought be? Since starting the BOKS program in 2009, one of our goals has been to make being physical activity FUN. And what better way to bring the fun into movement than by using games. Starting with one of our most popular games – Toilet Tag, we realized that trainers oftentimes wanted new and engaging games to keep the kids moving. To kick off 2021, we are releasing a new Games booklet! We encourage you to try some of these new BOKS games to get your kids moving in innovative ways this month.

“Are You Game?” has 21 new games to explore and keep your kids moving. You can download the document in the Trainer Hub or sign up to BOKS to access it.

Sign up for BOKS

Here are five of our favorites- try them in your neighborhood, with your family, class at school or with your BOKS group!

1. BOKS It
• Leader will call out commands to the group.
• Commands are “Jack It – Kick It – Spin It – Squat It”.
• Start out by calling commands slowly and increase the speed of your calls as you go along. If a player misses a command, just jump back in the game

2. Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Locate all the items on the Scavenger Hunt list. When an item on the list is collected or noted, kids need to do 5 of any chosen skill (i.e. jumping jacks, squats, push-ups etc.)
Find something:
• Green.
• That can hold water.
• Sunglasses.
• Brown.
• That can open and close.
• That stretches.
• That starts with the letter H.
• That was a gift.
• That you can read.
• You can wear it around your neck.
• That rolls.
• You can wear.
• With eyes.

3. Connect 4
Use the BOKS Connect 4 board found in the “Are You Game?” booklet. We recommend laminating this playing board. Use the BOKS dice or regular dice. Play can be individual, with a partner at a physical distance or as a class. Templates of BOKS Dice can be downloaded from the BOKS Trainer Hub.
• Roll the dice and do the exercise that it lands on and the number of repetitions from the second die.
• Mark off the corresponding number on the Connect4 board that matches the number on the die.
• Each player or team chooses a color to mark off their completed spots.
• The first kid to get 4 spaces in a row with their color is the winner.
• The rows can be vertical, horizontal or diagonal.
VARIATIONS: If you do not have dice with skills on them use a chart of skills and associated numbers:
1 – Tuck Jump
2 – Squat
3 – Crunch
4 – Push-Up
5 – Burpee
6 – Plank

4. Jenga Fitness
• Use a Jenga game.
• Draw shapes on the sides of each of the pieces, making three wild card shapes.
• Stack the Jenga blocks making sure to spread out the shapes evenly between pieces.
• Play as usual removing pieces from the stack without knocking the larger stack over.
• Upon removing a piece from the stack, kids must perform the skill associated with the color and shape on the piece. Blue Diamonds = 10 Squats, Red Circle = 10 Jumping Jacks, Green Triangle = 10 Push Ups, Orange Square = 10 Jumps, Purple Star = 10 Sit Ups/Crunches Wild Card = Opponent chooses what skill the player does.
• Play until someone knocks over the stack.

5. ABC Beanbag Challenge
Materials: Beanbag or other small objects, rolled up socks, hacky sac, or stuffed animal.
• Do an activity for each letter of the alphabet.
• Record your time and try to beat it the next time you do the activity.
• Make sure you do each activity 10 times or for 10 seconds with both sides of the body (right and left).
A- Balance the beanbag on your ARM.
B- Balance the beanbag on your BACK.
C- Toss the beanbag in the air and CATCH it.
D- Squat DOWN and put the beanbag on the floor.
E- Balance the beanbag on your EAR.
F- Balance your beanbag on each finger, one at a time for 10 seconds each.
G- GALLOP around your beanbag, while it is placed on the floor.
H- Balance the beanbag on your HEAD.
I- Walk IN a circle around your beanbag.
J- JUMP while holding your beanbag.
K- Drop your beanbag and KICK it back up to your hands.
L- LEAP over your beanbag.
M- MARCH in a circle around your beanbag.
N- Balance your beanbag on your NOSE.
O- Jump OVER your beanbag.
P- Balance the beanbag on your PALM and lunge.
Q- QUICKLY toss your beanbag in the air and catch it.
R- RUN in place with your beanbag.
S- Balance the beanbag on your SHOULDER.
T- TWIRL in a circle with your beanbag.
U- Put the beanbag UNDER your foot and do calf raises.
V- Hold the beanbag VERY high in the air.
W- WALK backwards with your beanbag.
X- Jump in the air and make an X with your body.
Y- YELL the word beanbag while doing star jumps.
Z- ZOOM around the room with your beanbag.

If you want more creative, engaging games be sure to visit our BOKS website and sign up for BOKS, in order to download the “Are You Game?” booklet.

Sign up for BOKS

BOKS IN ACTION: KEEPING KIDS MOVING DURING COVID-19

At BOKS we know that movement and play are crucial to the wellbeing of children of all ages. Not only does physical activity improve physical health, but it’s directly correlated with mental health, social-emotional wellness, and academic performance. When COVID-19 first impacted our communities, the BOKS team understood it would be more important than ever to keep kids moving. With the creation of new virtual and physical distanced programs and the creativity of our BOKS trainers globally, engaging ways to get moving through BOKS are more accessible than ever!

So, what do the new BOKS resources look like in action? Read on for new ideas and best practices from our BOKS trainers, who are busy getting kids active throughout this pandemic.

Virtual Implementation

Whether schools are fully remote or hybrid, many students spend part of each week learning virtually. Just like science or language classes, BOKS classes can be delivered online too! BOKS Zoom or Google Classroom classes take place before, during, and or after school. BOKS Trainers share the class time and link with their students, creating their own BOKS classes. One student from Boston said he loves doing BOKS because it “helps him feel awake and ready to start his day.”
Historically, BOKS classes held in person serve only a portion of the school. Now, virtual classes can serve a much wider audience, even reaching the entire school! One successful example is a school in Canada where a Virtual Assembly featuring BOKS movement breaks reaches over 6000 students on a regular basis.
If virtual BOKS sounds great to you, but isn’t offered by your school, parents and teachers alike have streamed BOKS classes using Facebook Live. Not only does Facebook Live allow you to reach families beyond your school community, but it’s a great way to interact with your audience without the fear of video or audio interruptions. Looking for inspiration? Check out our previous Facebook Live sessions on Youtube.

Physical Distancing

While many students are learning remotely, others are in school practicing physical distancing. BOKS Lessons at a Distance are perfect for these students, offering 12 lesson plans that can be done before, during, or after school. Some BOKS trainers are finding success using these lesson programs to supplement their physical education curricula as well.

Recess looks a bit different lately, and structured games and activities can help kids stay safe while having fun. Lunch supervisors across North America are utilizing the Recess Cards to provide physically distanced activities to kids. The cards can be printed, laminated, and easily disinfected so they can be shared between students and supervisors.

Are you limited on space, but want to keep kids moving? Sensory pathways are a great, easy way to creatively get kids active! Tape BOKS Burst activities around the classroom or through the hallways. When students arrive at an activity, they can stop and quickly perform it.

Challenges

We know kids love a challenge, and high school students are no exception! Schools have utilized the BOKS Bootcamp to create friendly competitions between classes. Who can complete each BOKS Bootcamp workout the fastest? Who can hold a plank the longest? Which class can complete the 100 Point Challenge (available in the “Are You Game?” booklet) in the least collective amount of time?
As part of the BOKS monthly Fitness Calendars, weekly challenges have been a great way for classroom teachers to encourage their students to try new activities. Check out the new December weekly challenges on the December Fitness Calendar, available on the Trainer Hub!
While mindfulness is often an individual practice, some schools are challenging their students to practice each day in class. In one school, the weekly Mindful Minutes are taught each Friday. The following week, students are challenged to repeat the Mindful Minute each day.

How are you using BOKS in your community? Have you tried any of these options, or do you have another success story to share? Let us know on Instagram by tagging @bokskids, or post on the Facebook BOKS Trainer Community!

KYLA CROCKER & SHEA PEASE

NEW BOKS RESOURCES COMING IN 2021

Are you and your kids looking for new ways to get moving at home or in school? BOKS has you covered with SEVEN new FREE resources that are launching this year from January to June!

You will be able to choose between games, crafts, recipes, running activities, mindfulness and more when you sign-up for BOKS.

Check out an overview of all the upcoming resources below so you can keep an eye out for the ones that excite you the most. Along with brand new resources, we will also have our Monthly Calendars available each month with new BOKS Burst Movement Breaks that each have a follow-along video!

NEW RESOURCES COMING IN 2021:

ARE YOU GAME?
This resource is full of fun and challenging games, crafts, puzzles, and activities to do at home or in school. Choose from over 30 activities to help you and your kids get moving. Most games are accompanied by a video tutorial as well.

JUNIOR LEADERSHIP TRAINING
This document will provide your school community with everything you need to kickstart a student led BOKS Burst program. The package of resources is complete with training videos, a step-by-step training guide and additional Burst resources specifically for your student leaders. This program will provide your students with key leadership opportunities and empower them to make lasting change!

MINDFULNESS & MOVEMENT FLOWS
Follow along with our mindfulness, stretching and movement flows to bring a few minutes of calm to your day.

GET YOUR RUN ON
Do you want to Get Your Run On when the weather finally improves? Enjoy eight weeks of BOKS Running focused lesson plans to get your students running and loving it! This package is complete with 20-minute lesson plans, tips and tricks and videos to support your program.

LESSONS AT A DISTANCE 2.0
Follow along with BOKS lessons at a distance that includes warm-ups, running, skill of the week, games, and cool-downs.

OLYMPICS ON DEMAND
We are excited to celebrate the Olympics as we share these On-Demand Lesson Plans complete with follow-along videos from Olympians, Paralympians, and Special Olympic ambassadors. What a fun way for your students to get ready to celebrate the summer Olympics!

See any resources you think would be fun to use with your kids at home or students in class? Sign up for BOKS so you can access them when they launch! We’re so excited to share with the BOKS community and continue to get more kids moving and playing throughout the day.

7 WAYS TO KEEP MOVING THIS WINTER

There is a reason bears hibernate in winter. It’s COLD, sometimes, it is wet, icy, and COLD. Did I mention the COLD? While it is easy to slip into the thought of a warm hibernation once the cold hits, I love the challenge of coming up with fun ways to keep myself and my family active during the winter months.

Let the seven S’s below help you stay super active this winter.

1- SLEDDING

When I was a kid, our hill in our backyard was actually more of a bump. But that didn’t stop us from having a blast with a sled when we got some snow.
Make that bump bigger by piling on more snow.
Another trick is to build another “hill” that is super packed down so the new snow hill can act as an obstacle.
No sled, no problem – cardboard makes a decent substitute or use a summer inflatable tube.
Have races up and down the hill. Time each other to see how long it takes to not only get down the newly created track but also to run back up the hill to the starting line.

2- SHOVEL SNOW

Shoveling Snow – This is a great opportunity to not only get some physical activity but also help your neighbor or your parents clear their walkways or driveways.
Build a snow maze – If you have a yard you can create the maze in your yard. If you live in the city and have a shovel, go to a local park to create a maze. Once the maze is created you can time yourself to see how fast you can get through it.

Lastly, the snow shovel can be used to create a BOKS Burst. Here is a sample of a Shovel Burst:

10 squats while holding the shovel with your arms stretched out in front of you.
10 jumps back and forth over the shovel.
10 shovel movements as if you are shoveling snow in one direction.
10 shovel movements in the other direction.

3- SNOW PLAY

Build a snowperson.
Build a snow fort – see how many rooms and tunnels your snow fort can have.
Color the Snow – Mix a little tempura paint or food coloring with water in a spray bottle, squeeze bottle or use a paintbrush. Or check out the BOKS Winter Fun Pack and make some DIY chalk paint to paint your fort walls.
Snow Art – make and paint a fun drawing.

4- SNOWBALLS

Create a target to practice your throwing.
See how high you can pile snowballs in a minute. The highest pile wins.
Snowball toss game with friends/family. Similar to water balloon toss, see how far apart you can get while tossing the snowball back and forth.

5- SKATING

Find a local pond or ice rink.
Lace up your skates and get moving.

6- SNOWGA

If the weather is pleasant outside, how about some snowga? Try doing your yoga poses outside in the snow!

7- SNOW GEMS

Materials: a bag of small balloons, food coloring, water.

Fill balloons up with tap water like you would a water balloon–make it between the size of an avocado and a small grapefruit.
Squirt in food coloring. Be generous (a BIG squirt). TIP: Don’t shake or mix–that way you get clear and colored parts that look incredible.
Freeze either outside (weather permitting) or in your freezer overnight.
Peel off the outer latex and quickly have everyone admire the amazing snow gems.

BOKS would love to see pictures of your winter hikes, forts, snow people, or any of your cold weather activities – have your parent/guardian post it in our BOKS Trainer Community on Facebook or post to your sites and tag us at @bokskids

Be creative, have fun and get active!

HEATHER CHASE

BOKS Curriculum Development

KIDS LEARN HOW TO MAKE FOOD FUN!

At BOKS we believe in the power of movement and exercise, especially when it’s fun. We know that good habits start young and we also know that fueling your body with nutritious food is key to building healthy habits that last a lifetime. This is why our BOKS programming includes nutrition tips called BOKS Bits. Our Bits are small snip-its of information to help kids form healthy opinions on food choices. Even with our BOKS Bits, we focus on fun. Sharing creative games and tips about food helps kids retain the information when they are at home, food shopping, and even when eating out.

December is a month that has a lot of events where making healthy food choices becomes very important. With a little bit of knowledge and some tips, let’s make this season one where we can continue to be active and have fun with food.

Whether you celebrate one or more holidays, you and your kids are often faced with many options to consume treats throughout December (even in our new socially distanced environment). Here are three quick tips to help encourage kids to make healthy choices this season:

Keep healthy snacks in visible locations as opposed to sweets. A bowl of fresh fruits versus a platter of cookies OR a veggie tray put out for an after school snack. How about creating a winter-themed veggie tray?
Involve your kids in meal planning. What vegetable side dish would they like to help make?
Similar to the games mentioned below – create a rainbow chart and see how many colors of the rainbow your kids can eat in a day.

Making learning about nutrition, fun.

Some of our BOKS Bits focus on fruits and vegetables which are good to eat each day. Did you know that a fruit is the part of a plant that contains the seed or seeds? If the seeds find their way into soil, they can eventually grow into new plants. An apple is an obvious example of fruit, but we might be surprised to learn that both tomato and avocado are actually fruits because they both have seeds. A fun activity to try is to take a seed and plant it in some soil and place in a sunny spot. Even in winter, your seed can sprout and grow. Vegetables, on the other hand, are the leaves, stems, roots and even the flowers of the plants that we eat. Lettuce is an example of the leaves of the plant we eat, broccolis are the flowers and the stalk, and potatoes are the root of the plant. While one can read this information and remember it, for kids it is so much more fun to play a game to help reinforce the information in order to make healthy food choices. Here is an activity from America’s Test Kitchen to check out and see if you can regrow a vegetable. Click here to see the activity.

Here are two activities to help kids remember and become familiar with different fruits and vegetables.

FRUIT “AS IF” BURST

Call out the movements that are associated with the fruit mentioned.
Players perform the skill for 30 seconds each.

Balance on your chair (in the shape of a banana) rock back and forth “As If” you are a rocking banana.
Spin around right and left “As If” you are an orange spinning on its side.
Jump up “As If” you are picking apples off a tree.
Lean side to side “As If” you are straining cranberries out of a bog.
Squat down “As If” you are picking strawberries and putting them in containers.
Reach up and shake “As If” you are shaking grapes off the vine.

Challenge: Have the kids create a Vegetable “As If” Burst which will give them a chance to reinforce their knowledge of whether something is a fruit or a vegetable.

RAINBOW VEGETABLE GAME

Draw a rainbow – Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple.
Associate a movement with each color.
Red – Fast Feet, Orange – Give your neighbor a virtual high five, Yellow – 10 Butt Kickers, Green – Take a deep breath for 10 seconds, Blue – 10 Squat Jumps, Purple – 10 Toe Touches.
Have the Leader list off different (i.e. celery, endive, fennel, bean sprouts, eggplant, lettuce, mushrooms, onion, pepper, carrots, and more!)
Perform the activity that matches the color of the vegetable called.

Challenge: Ask the kids to create a Rainbow Fruit Game to reinforce their knowledge of whether something is a fruit or vegetable.

We hope you enjoy these activities and healthy tips, as you teach your kids about nutrition and help them to make good food choices this December!

LAURA BURATI

BOKS Manager Program & Training

BRING THE BENEFITS OF DANCE TO YOUR STUDENTS!

As educators, you likely already have great ideas about how to get your students more active and engaged this year. But here’s an idea we’d love for you to consider more deeply: Dance.

We know that dance is a powerful, yet underutilized tool for education, health and well-being across all spectrums of Canadian society. For kids, ongoing involvement in dance can bring many benefits physically, emotionally, mentally and socially for everyone involved. One of the greatest attributes about this form of movement is that it is very inclusive and anyone can participate. Music can create a specific vibe to a program that allows participants to express themselves or the music itself can increase the energy within the room. We witness this in our BOKS program very similar to how Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS) observes the positive benefits within their programs. Have you ever just turned on your favorite song and danced around the house like no one was watching? If not, we challenge you to try this by yourself or with your family or friends to experience that feeling of letting loose and having fun.

High-quality dance activities can:

Build physical literacy.
Use imagery, story, music, and games to motivate kids to explore and practice different co-ordinations, movement patterns, and locomotor skills.
Foster a love of movement and desire to be physically active for life.
Through inclusive and accessible movement activities, this can allow participants to feel that dance is an approachable and fun way to stay active, regardless of prior experience.
Increase social and communication skills.
Encourage participants to create original movement projects as a team, present the project to peers, and provide each other with thoughtful and constructive feedback.
Strengthen bonds with peers.
Dance can foster a community-oriented atmosphere that allows kids to connect and cooperate by moving together.
Improve self-esteem and self-confidence.
By engaging in dance activities with your students you can celebrate success and recognize creative and personal growth.
Encourage young people to work from their own experiences and abilities, communicating thoughts, emotions and ideas through movement.
Make sure to allow participants to use their own experiences as a driving force in the creative process.

NBS has developed a free suite of easy-to-use, bilingual, online resources to help you engage your students in high-quality dance activities. No dance experience is necessary to facilitate NBS’ kids programs!

Videos, lesson plans, and additional course content are developed by world-renowned dance experts and teachers—so you can trust that your students are receiving the best programming. Everything you need to get your students dancing is available in NBS’ online learning environment. For more information check out NBS website.

At BOKS we can’t agree more! We love the idea of using movement through dance and encourage you to access these amazing resources put out by NBS. We also challenge you to try some of our latest dance Bursts in your classroom. These can all be done within a classroom setting or through virtual learning. Check out these links and get your groove on today!

5 WAYS KIDS CAN SOCIALIZE WHILE STAYING PHYSICALLY DISTANT (AND NOT BEHIND A SCREEN)

Do you feel stuck between a rock and a hard place trying to keep your kids safe from the dangers of COVID but also allowing them normal social interactions? You are not alone.

One of the biggest concerns for kids resulting from months of quarantine has been both the social isolation and rise in online time. With a high percentage of schools having some version of classes online, kids are required to stare at the screen way more than they normally would.

But what is happening during the rest of the day when they don’t “need” to be behind a computer? They are likely on social media, playing video games, or streaming videos – thus adding to the time exposed to a screen. A study done by WARC featured 9,500 respondents over the age of 16 that showed 58% of Gen Z and Millennials have increased their time on online, as well as increased the amount of time streaming videos.

As part of the increase in online time, we can assume there is a high percentage that includes facetiming friends and family, zooming with colleagues, and finding other virtual ways to connect.

But what impact is virtual socialization having on the younger generation that is still trying to hone essential social skills with peers? Additionally, what effect does all the isolation mixed with increased screen time do for one’s mental health?

According to Candida Fink, MD, a New Rochelle, New York-based child and adolescent psychiatrist, the social isolation is having the greatest impact on teens and adolescents. “The social drive is so key to what they’re doing developmentally, because the need to connect is so powerful, and the impulse control isn’t there yet, so we’re seeing that teens are not making good choices. Adolescents are so socially driven that social isolation presents unique risks,” says Dr Fink.

And while the effect on young children is still up for debate – there is evidence that says toddlers need the interaction with their parents more than with friends and peers.

In congruence with increased screen time, is a sedentary lifestyle. In Canada, Participaction conducted a study looking at the impact of Covid-19 on physical activity levels and found only 4.8% of children (ages 5-11) and 0.8% of youth (ages 12-17) were meeting 24-hour movement behaviour guidelines during COVID-19 restrictions, compared to the 15% (5-17 years) prior to the pandemic. In addition, 62% of kids and teens were being less physically active outdoors and 79% of kids and teens were spending more leisure time on screens.

Not only does physical activity improve one’s mental and emotional health, it also provides an avenue for play and socialization. However, now that interactions are restricted, we need to get creative as to how we combine movement and engagement. To remedy many of the concerns discussed above, BOKS has made it a priority to create free resources and methods for kids of all ages to stay active and to make the best of the current environment. Below are 5 ways to help kids not only increase their daily movement, but also learn social skills and connect with friends in safe ways:

Following the BOKS Fitness Calendars in school or at home. These calendars use BOKS Bursts that are all suitable for physical distancing and don’t require equipment. Have the students connect across the classroom or get out of their chairs during days filled with Zoom meetings. Here’s an example:
If you live in an area where there are a few other kids, see if you can organize an outdoor scavenger hunt where kids can keep their distance and wear masks but still learn social cues and teamwork. Get the whole neighborhood involved by adding clues in the window of each house!
Start a group of pen pals! If you’re a classroom teacher, consider writing letters to another class to switch up the mode of communication between peers. If you’re a parent, have your kids write a letter to family members, or check out this website to find a pen pal. Bonus: Kids get to practice their handwriting.
For larger groups that can be outside with masks, try a “BOKS Lesson Plan At a Distance” for specific physical distancing lessons. We curated games and activities that allow kids to keep their distance, no contact, and no equipment required so they can still interact via games and learn about communication and have fun. Sign up for BOKS and access the Trainer Hub to utilize many free resources.
Last, but not least, encourage your kids to call their friends instead of FaceTime. We, by default, rely on facial expressions over video calls, but don’t forget that regular phone calls are still a thing! We can’t forget about the social skills required to talk on the phone, understand voice cues, and interacting via voice inflections rather than facial expressions.

Let us know any other ways you’re keeping your kids physical, social and also physically distant!

MICHELA NORTH

BOKS Coordinator, Certified Health Coach, B.A. Psychology

Sources:

https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/news/millennials-and-gen-z-try-new-brands-duringcovid-crisis/43992

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/protect-children-from-covid-19-with-increasedphysical-activity-301130633.html

https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2020/06/how-quarantine-will-affect-kids-socialdevelopment/613381/

https://www.participaction.com/en-ca/resources/children-and-youth-report-card?utm_term=report%20card%20page&utm_campaign=sector-launch-June-17-2020-en&utm_content=email&utm_source=Act%20on%20email&utm_medium=Email&cm_mmc=Act-On%20Software-_-email-_-ParticipACTION%20Releases%202020%20Report%20Card%20on%20Physical%20Activity%20for%20Children%20and%20Youth-_-report%20card%20page

12 EASY GAMES FOR KIDS – AT A DISTANCE!

Our BOKS lesson plan documents contain endless games to run with your students, many of which can be modified to play without equipment and while ensuring students are at an appropriate distance. Here we have pulled out 12 of these games that are easy to run while maintaining current protocols and ensuring that your students are staying active, moving regularly and having FUN.

1- SHIPWRECK

Move around the activity space in a crabwalk. The trainer will call out different instructions, and kids follow along with the corresponding activities:

Bow - the front of the ship. Crabwalk to the front of the activity space.
Stern - the back of the ship. Crabwalk to the back of the activity space.
Port - the left side of the boat. Crabwalk to the left side of the activity space.
Starboard - the right side of the boat. Crabwalk to the right side of the activity space.
Salute your Captain - stand straight and salute!
At ease - bring your salute down.
Swab the deck - hold a plank and pretend to wash the deck.
Mermaid – lay on your belly, prop your hands under your chin, and point your toes to the sky (like a mermaid waving its tail).

2- BOKS SAYS

Lead Trainer calls outs out “BOKS Says” followed by a movement.
Trainer calls out exercise movements quickly to keep kids moving. If trainer does not say “BOKS says” before the movement, kids should not move.
Be sure to include “BOKS says” to do a plank or whatever your skill of the week is!
If kids move when the trainer does not say “BOKS says”, have them do 10 jumping jacks prior to joining back in the game.

3- SHADOW

Have students get into pairs, while staying 2 meters apart at all times.
Partner A can start doing one of the following movements, while partner B shadows (follows behind) doing the same movement:
- Skipping
- Jumping
- Side shuffle
- Butt kickers
Partner A can change movements at any time.
Trainer calls out “SWITCH” and partner B becomes the leader.
Trainer can also call out “free for all” and the leading partner can do whatever kind of movement they want.

4- RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT

Have a trainer or BOKS kid of the week be the “Stop light” and lead the game.
The “Stop light” faces away from the group when they say “Green light”, but turns and faces the group when they say “Red light”.
The “Stop light” cues the participants to start moving by saying “Green light”. The participants should walk fast or jog, but not run. The participants will stop moving when they hear “Red light” and the “Stop light” turns around to make sure everyone is standing still and not moving.
If a kid moves after you have said “Red light”, they return to the starting line, perform 5 squats, and re-enter the game.
Play until someone passes the “Stop light”. They become the new “Stop light”.
All of the kids go back to the starting line and play again. Suggestion: You can change the game up by having the kids do a different movement on the “Green light” cue, like skipping, galloping etc.
Make sure that students are spaced out 2 metres apart while playing this game.

5- SQUAT WAVE

Get the kids to make 2 circles with proper distancing in effect.
One kid starts by performing 5 squats while all others hold a specific balance (ex. tree pose, airplane, etc.).
Once that kid who starts has finished their 5^thsquat, the kid to their right starts their 5 squats.
Try to see which circle can complete the squat wave fastest or most accurately.
Variations: Vary number of squats per individual depending on the skill of the group or complete more than one revolution. Another variation is to use a different skill other than squats, such as burpees.

**6- RED CUP PYRAMID SQUAT CHALLENGE (*REQUIRES INDIVIDUAL EQUIPMENT)**

The purpose of the game is to build your pyramid as quickly as possible, still using proper form.
Each kid will need 3, 6, or 10 cups to start.
Placing one cup at a time, kids will place the cup and perform as many squats as there are cups in the pyramid.
One cup = one squat, then place the second and do 2 squats, etc.
The game is much more difficult with more cups, and kids can challenge themselves to build and squat as fast as they can to construct a full pyramid.
Variations: kids can build and then disassemble the pyramid to provide even more difficulty. If cups fall, do a burpee for each one that falls before resuming game.

7- BOKS BASEBALL

4 bases (cones or poly spots) around the gym or on a field, divide the kids into 4 teams.
Run around the bases with your team at a physical distance, doing designated movements.
Stay at each base for 1 minute. Run the bases!
- First base – air squats
- Second base – jogging in place
- Third base – crunches
- Home – jumping jacks
You can change the movements or mode of locomotion (skipping, galloping, crab walk, bear crawl, jumps) as desired.

8- DECK OF CARDS

Each suit is an exercise – Hearts = jumping jacks, Diamonds = crunches, Spades = push-ups and Clubs = air squats.
Lead Trainer flips a card and kids need to do the number of repetitions shown on the card of the designated exercise (i.e. 2 of diamonds = 2 crunches).
Keep flipping cards for the allotted period of time.
Variations: Hearts = plank, Diamonds = mountain climbers, Spades = tuck jumps, Clubs = lunges.

9- STATIONS

Set up 6 stations around the gym. Have kids do 1 minute per station. Rotate through at least 2x.

Supermans
Squat Jumps
Jumping Jacks
Butt kickers in place
Tuck Jumps
Push-ups

10- GO, BACK, HIT IT

Ensure students are 2 metres apart at the start line. You can send the students out in small groups – 5 students at a time.
The trainer yells “GO!” The kids run as fast as they can towards the end of the gym.
The trainer can either yell “BACK!” or “HIT IT!”
If they yell “BACK”, the kids start running backwards as fast as they can. (Note: lean forward on their toes in order to counterbalance the backward motion of the body.)
If they yell “HIT IT!” the kids drop to the floor (like a burpee), jump back up and start running again as fast as they can towards the end of the gym.
The trainer can alternate calling Go, Back or Hit it as many times as they want until the kids reach the end of the gym.
Note: When the kids are running, it is an all-out effort. They should not be slowly jogging to try and predict what the trainer will say next.
Variation: You can modify the “Hit It” with a squat, jump or any other functional fitness movement for the kids.

11- LEADER OF THE PACK

Kids split into groups of 5 students, forming a line with each person 2 metres behind the person in front of them.
The line leader starts jogging at a slow pace so all team members can jog behind.
The last kid in line sprints around the team and replaces the leader.
The new leader slows down to set the pace for the team.
When ready, the new leader yells to the last kid in line, “Go!” and the kid sprints to the front to become the new leader.
Kids keep jogging until everyone has the chance to be the leader.
This activity is ideally run outdoors. If done in a gym, have one or two groups go at a time and then switch groups.

12- RELAY FUN!

Have partners stand next to each other, maintain physical distancing (maybe put a cone, skipping rope in between them for a visual). Feel free to make this game an individual game if you have a small group.
One partner will broad jump to the designated end (could be the middle of the field, end of field or whichever you decide) complete 3 burpees and bear crawl back. Once their partner crosses the line the next partner can go.

Give these games a try to keep moving, stay active and have fun!

SHANNON MACMILLAN

BOKS Canada, Manager, Programs & Training

Five Ways to Get Moving with BOKS Right Now

Over the past few months, school and physical activity has changed dramatically for our kids. While current BOKS programming might not reflect that of years’ past, there are still plenty of ways to get kids active with BOKS! Our programming has been adapted to be run by anyone, anywhere – including as a resource for parents looking to keep their kids moving at home.

Read below to see some of our suggestions for running your BOKS class, regardless of where it might be, and giving kids the endorphins they desperately need right now.

1- HOST A BEFORE OR AFTER SCHOOL ZOOM CLASS

BOKS’ new resources have been designed to suit all learning scenarios, including remote learning. While kids might not be able to participate in BOKS in-person, you can still host a virtual class on Zoom or another video conferencing tool! Share the link with your community and invite them to join your BOKS class 2-3 times each week. Check out our Lessons on Demand for lesson plans specifically designed for virtual learning.

2- CREATE A NEIGHBORHOOD BOKS PROGRAM

Can you meet, safely and socially distanced, at a park, at school, or a backyard? The BOKS Lessons at a Distance are designed for groups of all sizes to get moving while adhering to COVID safety protocols. Meet a few times each week to run through one of the 12 lesson plans!

3- STRUCTURE RECESS INTO THE DAY

Whether kids are at home or in school, recess remains a crucial part of their day. This midday break is an opportunity for kids to move, play, and return to class refocused. Keep Kids Moving at Recess provides structured, socially distant lesson plans and movement breaks that can be led virtually or in-person.

4- USE BOKS AS SPORT FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL

With many athletics put on hold, adolescents may find that their fitness is beginning to decline. To combat this, host socially distant or virtual workouts with the BOKS Bootcamp. These workouts are designed to challenge teens physically without any equipment required, helping maintain their fitness while they lack access to their typical sports. Run the 10 week challenge with your students or at home, in order to keep older students engaged and moving.

5- TAKE A BREAK WITH BURSTS

Many kids (and adults!) may struggle with sitting still for an extended period of time. BOKS Bursts are short 1-10 minute movement breaks intended to refocus and re-energize kids. Anyone can sign up to receive our weekly Burst email – parents, teachers, and staff alike – and Bursts can be performed absolutely anywhere! The best part? This year, Bursts will have accompanying videos located within our Fitness Calendars, so you can press play and walk away while your kids move.

Have any questions about BOKS, our resources, or how to start your own program?

Reach out to info@bokskids.org

BOKS SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT ST. EVAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL