Keeping Kids Active at Home

Click Here for a Special Message from Play Like a Champion Founder & Executive Director Dr. Clark Power on the impact of COVID-19 on Youth Sports & Our Communities

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The coronavirus pandemic has affected all families across the country, shutting down schools and sports at every level. With social distancing guidelines and widespread "stay at home" orders, it can be a struggle to keep children active. It's critical to the physical and mental health of our children that they get regular exercise and maintain goals while without organized sports. Play Like a Champion is here to help.  We've created this page as a place to list resources and share ideas from across the country, with a goal of helping parents and coaches to keep kids moving until we can return to normal activity. We encourage you to explore the links below, then follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get additional resources and share your own. Together, we can keep kids healthy and strong while helping stop the spread of COVID-19.

Have a resource to add? Email us at information@playlikeachampion.org

or share with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Send us your ideas as well as photos of activities and we'll post them on social media & this page!

Ideas for Activity at Home

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Since athletes are not able to play together with class/teammates, we may need to get creative with our home-based environment. Sometimes the easiest skills can be practiced solo and with little to no equipment: stairs can be used for calf raises, sprints, or modified lunges and push-ups; a sidewalk crack can be used to jump over side-to-side for agility training; a brick wall can be used to work on throwing accuracy or for wall-sits. Consider which of these suggested activities would be most fun for you and start moving:

 

  • Running around the block or neighborhood (for endurance training) 

  • Interval training with sprints

  • Jump Rope

  • Ride bikes with your family

  • Play catch with your family

  • Hit or throw into a net

  • Go for a 1 mile power walk

  • Fly a kite (and run with it)

  • Jumping jacks 

  • Push-ups

  • Sit-ups

  • Wall Sits

  • Play wall ball

  • Throw a ball or a frisbee for your pet

  • Skip to the end of your street and back

  • Play hopscotch (improves balance and coordination)

  • Yoga or Stretching (increases body flexibility)

  • Have your own personal dance party 

*As many of these activities may take place outside and in public spaces, please be sure to follow the recommendations of local authorities and public health officials. While these are great ideas for the majority of people, some cities or individuals may have limitations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Online Video Cardio and Workouts

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Beach Body Kids Workouts

Hip Hop Aerobics

Cardio Dance

Kickboxing

Yoga Home Workout

Pilates Home Workout

At Home Health & PE

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*YouTube has thousands of videos that can be used for general workouts or sport-specific training, with many programs and coaches posting new videos daily while parents and kids are currently at home. We recommend visiting www.youtube.com and searching for whatever sport or activity interests you!

Andre from Four Point Play Teaches Basketball Drills You Can Do at Home

Mental Health Resources

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While we strive to maintain our physical health in a time of social distancing and isolation, it's also critical that we recognize the impact on mental health in athletes as well as our family and friends. Exercises like those found above can improve mental health, as can establishing a routine and finding ways to stay connected with others while isolated. We encourage you to checkout the resources below and engage in activities that build mental health! 

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Association for Applied Sport Psychology - Tips for Athletes, Coaches, Parents and the Sports Community

(Include Links to Additional Resources)

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Varsity Brands - Believe in You Video Series

​

A Sports Performance Coach's Guide for Parents without Sports

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Coaching Resources

​

BSN Sports Free Coaching Webinars (Assorted Sports & Strength Training)

With Sports on Pause, Coaches Connect with Student Athletes (Article with Ideas for Staying Connected to Athletes)

Keeping Kids Active at Home

Click Here for a Special Message from Play Like a Champion Founder & Executive Director Dr. Clark Power on the impact of COVID-19 on Youth Sports & Our Communities

​

The coronavirus pandemic has affected all families across the country, shutting down schools and sports at every level. With social distancing guidelines and widespread "stay at home" orders, it can be a struggle to keep children active. It's critical to the physical and mental health of our children that they get regular exercise and maintain goals while without organized sports. Play Like a Champion is here to help.  We've created this page as a place to list resources and share ideas from across the country, with a goal of helping parents and coaches to keep kids moving until we can return to normal activity. We encourage you to explore the links below, then follow and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get additional resources and share your own. Together, we can keep kids healthy and strong while helping stop the spread of COVID-19.

Have a resource to add? Email us at information@playlikeachampion.org

or share with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Send us your ideas as well as photos of activities and we'll post them on social media & this page!

Ideas for Activity at Home

​

Since athletes are not able to play together with class/teammates, we may need to get creative with our home-based environment. Sometimes the easiest skills can be practiced solo and with little to no equipment: stairs can be used for calf raises, sprints, or modified lunges and push-ups; a sidewalk crack can be used to jump over side-to-side for agility training; a brick wall can be used to work on throwing accuracy or for wall-sits. Consider which of these suggested activities would be most fun for you and start moving:

 

  • Running around the block or neighborhood (for endurance training) 

  • Interval training with sprints

  • Jump Rope

  • Ride bikes with your family

  • Play catch with your family

  • Hit or throw into a net

  • Go for a 1 mile power walk

  • Fly a kite (and run with it)

  • Jumping jacks 

  • Push-ups

  • Sit-ups

  • Wall Sits

  • Play wall ball

  • Throw a ball or a frisbee for your pet

  • Skip to the end of your street and back

  • Play hopscotch (improves balance and coordination)

  • Yoga or Stretching (increases body flexibility)

  • Have your own personal dance party 

*As many of these activities may take place outside and in public spaces, please be sure to follow the recommendations of local authorities and public health officials. While these are great ideas for the majority of people, some cities or individuals may have limitations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maintaining specific goals is an important way to stay motivated! Click here to download a worksheet athletes can use to set and track physical activity and goals every day of the week!

Online Video Cardio and Workouts

​

Beach Body Kids Workouts

Hip Hop Aerobics

Cardio Dance

Kickboxing

Yoga Home Workout

Pilates Home Workout

At Home Health & PE

DC Scores: #SCORESatHome Activities on YouTube

Balloon Challenges & Activities

​

​

*YouTube has thousands of videos that can be used for general workouts or sport-specific training, with many programs and coaches posting new videos daily while parents and kids are currently at home. We recommend visiting www.youtube.com and searching for whatever sport or activity interests you!

Andre from Four Point Play Teaches Basketball Drills You Can Do at Home

Mental Health Resources

While we strive to maintain our physical health in a time of social distancing and isolation, it's also critical that we recognize the impact on mental health in athletes as well as our family and friends. Exercises like those found above can improve mental health, as can establishing a routine and finding ways to stay connected with others while isolated. We encourage you to checkout the resources below and engage in activities that build mental health! 

​

Association for Applied Sport Psychology - Tips for Athletes, Coaches, Parents and the Sports Community

NCAA Mental Health Tips to Student-Athletes During COVID-19

University of Michigan's Athletes Connected - Guide to Coping in Quarantine

Psychology Today - 13 Things to Do With Your Family During the Coronavirus

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Mindfulness Meditation
We encourage every person to include meditation in their daily routine. Meditation is a form of exercise for the brain, enabling it to improve performance, just like exercise improves the way the body works. Mindfulness means moment-to-moment, nonjudgmental awareness to what is happening in one’s life. You can practice mindful meditation alone or as a whole family. Start with a minute a day and gradually increase the time. The benefits of mindfulness include: A sense of peace and overall well-being, reduced stress levels, improved memory, better alertness, and enhanced productivity.

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Meditation Resources:

The Ultimate Guide on How to Start Meditating

25 Mindfulness Activities for Children and Teens

Guide to Meditation

One Minute Meditation Challenge

30 Day Meditation Challenge

Free Online Meditation Sessions from Sky Schools

Practicing Mindfulness Meditation: An Explanation & Practice with Orlandus Thomas

 

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Building Self Worth and Mental Skills

Varsity Brands - Believe in You Video Series

A Sports Performance Coach's Guide for Parents without Sports

​

Coaching Resources

​

BSN Sports Free Coaching Webinars (Assorted Sports & Strength Training)

With Sports on Pause, Coaches Connect with Student Athletes (Article with Ideas for Staying Connected to Athletes)

Youth Organizations, High Schools Offer Unique Challenges & Solutions to Ongoing Crisis (Blog)

Social Media Accounts to Follow

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Play Like a Champion: facebook.com/PlayLikeaChampion / twitter.com/plc4character / instagram.com/plc4character / YouTube

Four Point Play: facebook.com/fourptplay / twitter.com/plc4character / instagram.com/4ptplayinc / YouTube

Creatively Quarantined Kids: Facebook Group

Jr. NBA: facebook.com/jrnba / twitter.com/jrnba / instagram.com/jrnba

Connor McDavid (Home Workout Videos for Kids): instagram.com/mcdavid97

Chicago Boxing Club (Daily Workouts): instagram.com/cybc_boxing

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Play Like a Champion Today Educational Series

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