Activity Purpose
Help kids learn how they can use self-talk as a strategy to motivate themselves to be more active and reduce screen time.
Objectives
- Recognize that mood influences your motivation to be move.
- Give examples of ways to motivate and turn an "I won't" mood around with movement (e.g., stand, hop, skip, jump, play a game, exercise, play outside, take a walk, dance, etc.).
Preparation
- Talk Time: Kids sit and stretch or stand and march in place. Be sure they are a safe distance (arm’s length) apart.
- Activity: Divide kids into groups of 3 to 4. Place cones at the opposite side of the activity area across from each group. Place Move Activity Cards face down to the right of each cone.
- Wrap Up: Kids sit in a circle for discussion.
Talk Time
Introduction
Exercise helps boost blood flow to the brain, which lights up your brain and gives you extra brainpower.
Here are some things to know about the connection between mood and move:
- Your mood is your motivation. It influences whether or not you sit around or get active.
- You make a choice when you think to yourself “I don't want to move right now."
- You also make a choice when you think “I will move,” then do something like jumping jacks or put on tunes and create some new dance moves!”
This activity will give you some ideas of choices you can make when you decide to motivate your mood and get active!
Do The Activity
Activity Instructions
- Divide kids into small groups (3-4 per group).
- Have each group form a vertical line (front to back) behind the starting line.
- Kids run in place (or stretch) while waiting in line for the next turn.
- Shout, "GO! "
- The teammate at the front of each line runs to the other end of the activity space, makes a U-turn around the cone to get a Move Activity Card, and then brings it back to the team.
- That teammate stands in front of the team and shouts, “I will move today!” Next, they lead their group in doing the fit move on their card for the number indicated.
- When the team is done doing the fit move, the teammate leading the fit move fist bumps the next person in line and goes to the back of the line.
- The next person runs to get the Move Activity Card, and the activity continues.
- After each person on the team has brought back a card and led the team in a fit move, the entire team sits down and does a butterfly stretch (or another leader-selected movement).
- Activity continues until all teams are sitting.
- If time allows, repeat activity.
- Switch up teams by rotating the first person of each team to the right.
Wrap Up
Reflections
Q: What ideas do you have to motivate your "I won't" mood and get active?
A: Answers will vary. Options may include any activity that steers kids away from screen time such as calling a friend, getting active, going outdoors, or doing a quiet activity.
Challenge
When you feel stressed, make the choice to move. Play your favorite song and stretch or dance your stress away!
Time: 10 Minutes
What You'll Need
Resources
Materials
- Cones or Place Markers
- Timer
Helpful Tips
- If using a smaller space, choose different motor skills to do across the activity space such as bear crawl, crab walk, and inch worm.