DIY Kids Gym Activities

Fitness is as important to children as it is to adults. Making fitness fun for children can provide them with the building blocks needed to lead healthy and active lifestyles. There are many children's fitness activities that can be done in a gymnasium free of cost.

• Simon says. Simon says is an old game where children listen to the spoken commands of a leader, or Simon, and follow the commands. Each command is prefaced by the phrase, "Simon says." When an action is not prefaced by "Simon says," any participant who performs that action is out of the game. Simon says can be a fun way to warm children up before physical activity. Ask them to do jumping jacks, balance on one foot, curl into a ball, run in place or touch their toes.


• Mission Impossible. Lay mats, pieces of paper, towels and hoops randomly on the gymnasium floor. Place a prize on one end of the gym. Have the children stand at the opposite end of the gym. The children must get the prize by only stepping on the objects on the floor. Anyone who touches the floor is out until the next round. For an extra challenge, divide the children into boys and girls. To make the game like the movie, play the Mission Impossible theme music.


• Fruit Basket. Divide children up into several equal-numbered teams. Send each team to a different area of the gym. Label each team with the name of a fruit. On each turn call out two fruits. The children in both fruit groups must run to switch places with each other. The teams retain their fruit label throughout the game.