Easy to Teach: Homeschool Co-op Gym Class

Teach Homeschool Gym Co-op

Gym is one of the most loved classes at our homeschool co-op. Gym class should be a great experience for everyone involved. So forget everything you remember from your school gym class days because it probably isn’t what you want for your children.

Child participating in Homeschool Co-op

Table of Contents

Why do I have this lesson plan?

My girls look forward to this co-op class each week. They love the opportunity to play group games and learn new skills. It doesn’t feel like exercise or work to them because they are having so much fun!

This fall I will be teaching a homeschool co-op gym class for ages 6-10. While classes were being planned, my girls were disappointed that no one was offering a gym class.

Since our family has a history of diabetes and obesity, we are diligently working to increase our physical activity. So now you know how I’ve gotten myself into this new and exciting opportunity. I’ll just keep reminding myself how much fun we are going to have (maybe next time I’ll volunteer to do a Monarch Project). I can’t wait to use my whistle!

Here’s the plan and free printable lesson plan. Feel free to use it or share with your homeschool co-op.

**You should know this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my link, I will receive some cents at no cost to you. I only share products that I use and love. All opinions are my own.

Planning a co-op gym class

Time Available 55 minutes

  • Attendance
  • Warm-Up Stations
  • Mileage Club
  • Character Lesson —We Choose Virtues
  • Group Activity
  • Clean Up, Rewards & Dismiss

Get a Free Printable of This Lesson Plan. 

Attendance

  1. Welcome students
  2. First Class–set expectations and clearly explain any safety rules.
  3. Whistle Commands–demonstrate and practice. This is essential for me, as I tend to be soft-spoken. Free whistle commands poster here.
  4. Take attendance. Just read the list of names and mark the attendance sheet. Our co-op kids love to say, “Here”. Change it up once in a while, by having them answer with their favorite color or ice cream flavor.

Warm-Up Stations

  1. Explain the purpose of warming up. 
  2. Warm-Up Stations. *Set these up before the first class, but then have students set them up at future classes. We are using Fitness Circuit Station Cards. Play music and blow whistle to switch stations.

Mileage Club

Homeschool Mileage Club

  1. Week 1 –Introduce Mileage Club. We are using foot patterns and toe tokens from the Mileage Club Teachers packet at Fitness Finders.
  2. Have distance measured and marked with cones before class (inside or out depending on the weather).
  3. Each week record number of laps and give rewards at the end of class.

 

Character Lesson

This is a transition time. We’ve just finished walking or running for about 20 minutes. The kids will be out of breath, so a few minutes to rest during a short lesson will be just what we need.

Any character lesson or good sportsman topic will fit well here. We Choose Virtues is my favorite. Easy for little ones to remember and applicable even for adults. I love that it is colorful and ready to go–no prep for me!

Preview & Link to We Choose Virtues.

Group Activity

This will be different each week. I’m saving some great ideas on my Pinterest board. Here are a few to get you started:

  1. Jump Rope: 
  2. Hula Hoops: our co-op has purchased these locally from Revival Cafe & Market. Amazing custom hula hoops that actually work. Don’t say never! You can actually hula hoop–I’m the least coordinated person I know and these work for me.
  3. Catching & Throwing Skills: How to teach by Mr. Majewski.
  4. Relay Races

Clean Up, Rewards & Dismiss

  1. Put away equipment.
  2. Pass out toe token rewards for Mileage Club.
  3. Dismiss students to next co-op class.

Relax! You’ve successfully taught a homeschool co-op gym class.

Congratulations! You are a supermom or superdad! Your children and others in the co-op will be amazed at your teaching skills and probably ask you to teach again. Go for it! Or share this post with them, so they can teach it. 

Let me know if you try these ideas out and leave me some more ideas in the comments. I’ll let you know how my class goes this fall.

Teaching a homeschool co-op gym class is a little outside my comfort zone, so I’d love to hear what works for you (or doesn’t!).

Cindy (the somewhat reluctant gym teacher

 

Time for an update!

Mileage Club was so much fun!

I’ve taught this class three times now. It’s definitely a hit with the kids.

For the most recent class, I used QR codes from the app QR Laps (apple app store). This made tracking laps much easier.

See the comments below, where Allison asked for more details. 

For prizes at the end of the class, I’ve used:

  • water bottles
  • slap bracelets
  • glow in the dark shoelaces
  • stickers

Choose something simple, memorable, and age-appropriate. Keep your budget in mind.

Making your own lesson plan for a co-op or homeschool group? Try these 8 brutally simple steps!

Printable Lesson Plan