The weather is getting warmer, and that means more time outside! While this is an exciting time for parents and kids everywhere, the question remains on what exactly to do outside. Your preschooler will often like to have free reign outdoors, exploring and discovering everything around, but a healthy balance of child and adult-led activities is key.
Being outside itself is a great first step in introducing your little one to exercise, however, having some exercise-themed activities for preschoolers up your sleeve can make all the difference.
Here is a free printable Spell Your Name Workout activity that you can use with your kids or students as a fun game to get your little ones exercising. Scroll down to download it below!
You can also complete this activity indoors when the weather is not cooperating and your preschooler could use some extra movement. If you are a teacher, this activity also makes an excellent sensory movement break during the school day!
Why is Exercise Important for Preschoolers?
You probably already know that exercise is important for people of all ages – this includes young children such as preschoolers, toddlers, and even babies!
Regular exercise will help your preschooler develop healthy habits early, and will make it easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle into adulthood. It also reduces the risk of chronic diseases as your child ages.
Preschoolers who get regular exercise also sleep better, and lower their risk of mental health issues throughout their life. Not only that, but exercise is important in the development of several other skills your preschooler is developing:
- Cognitive Skills – Preschoolers who are physically fit actually have a greater volume in the area of the brain associated with memory!
- Social-Emotional Skills – Preschoolers who get regular exercise tend to have longer attention spans, greater confidence in themselves, improved social skills, and fewer behavioral problems.
- Motor Skills– It is no question that preschoolers who regularly exercise will have improved fine and gross motor skills.
- Language skills– Exercise offers the opportunity for new vocabulary, and following directions. You can also couple exercise with fun activities such as the Spell Your Name Workout- to get even more language skills in!
Kids develop strength and coordination as they climb jungle gyms and maneuver themselves through tunnels on playgrounds and exercise. Exercise helps them to avoid weight problems, both now and later in adulthood. Active play during childhood will help foster an active lifestyle into their teenage and adult years.
Children benefit greatly from the physical play involved with climbing, jumping, and swinging, as well as the open spaces that encourage active play such as running, jumping, skipping, and kicking balls. Exercise for young kids is invaluable for their independence and the development of their spatial awareness, vestibular systems, motor skills and core muscles.
Related Post: The Benefits for Outdoor Play for Children’s Development
How to Get Young Children to Like Exercising
The key to exercise for preschoolers is to make it fun! Exercise themed activities for preschoolers are the perfect opportunity to combine exercise with a fun game. When your preschooler is having fun, they won’t even realize that they are exercising, or learning for that matter!
Make exercising fun by making the exercises into games and activities that your preschooler will enjoy completing.
The Spell Your Name Exercise Game is a perfect example of this!
Spell Your Name Exercise Game
This exercise themed activity for preschoolers is a great game to get your preschooler to exercise and also learn the letters of their name! Have your preschooler write their name in big letters on a white board (if you have one) as they call out the letters – you can read the exercise they are to do.
How to Play:
- Download and print the Spell Your Name Exercise Free Printable (use card stock or laminate for durability if using multiple times)
2. Have your child to spell out their name and write the letters down.
3. Read and demonstrate (if needed) the exercise.
4. If using on a daily basis you could have your preschooler take turns spelling their middle or last name and/or their favorite characters.
Your little one will love completing this exercise-themed activity for preschoolers! Keep learning and exercising fun by offering fun play-based activities for your preschooler all year long. Did you complete this activity with your little one? Let us know how they liked it below!
