GO to the beach and get naturally fit
Beach Olympics
One of our favourite beach exercises – particularly when we are with friends or family – is to have a mini Beach Olympics.
Get the kids involved in designing the ‘disciplines’ – maybe ask each child to think of one of the sports and get them to lead them when the time comes.
Ideas for events:
- High Jump
Make a jump out of items that you may have brought along e.g. buckets and spades. Use the sand to create piles on which the buckets can be placed, thus allowing you to change the height of the bar (or spade).
- Long jump
Get a spade and ‘fluff up’ the sand in your landing pit, or ensure your landing area is in the soft dry sandy area of the beach. If there’s a mix of ages in your group, draw a few take off lines in the sand and allow younger (or senior) athletes to use a line nearer to the landing zone.
- Short sprint
Measure out a short distance – about 50 metres or strides is good for a sprint by drawing a start line and making a finish line using a couple of mounds of sand (so you can see them).
- Shot putt
Find a stone or rock and use this for a ‘push throw’ that comes from holding the rock under the side of the jaw and then extending the arm. Measure the distance from the throwing line to where the rock lands.
- Other ideas: relay race, long distance run, tennis ball throw, triple jump …
Get the PDF
- High Jump
Make a jump out of items that you may have brought along e.g. buckets and spades. Use the sand to create piles on which the buckets can be placed, thus allowing you to change the height of the bar (or spade).
- Long jump
Get a spade and ‘fluff up’ the sand in your landing pit, or ensure your landing area is in the soft dry sandy area of the beach. If there’s a mix of ages in your group, draw a few take off lines in the sand and allow younger (or senior) athletes to use a line nearer to the landing zone.
- Short sprint
Measure out a short distance – about 50 metres or strides is good for a sprint by drawing a start line and making a finish line using a couple of mounds of sand (so you can see them).
- Shot putt
Find a stone or rock and use this for a ‘push throw’ that comes from holding the rock under the side of the jaw and then extending the arm. Measure the distance from the throwing line to where the rock lands.
- Other ideas: relay race, long distance run, tennis ball throw, triple jump …
This is just one of many ideas included in a 10 page PDF we have created for download, designed to give families ideas and activities to do while at the beach (at any time of the year). By exercising and playing together in the outdoors, you’ll be surprised how fit and healthy you can feel.
You may also like:
