Live lessons and WFH - when are your kids exercising?

[wejammin]

During the last school closure, my 3 children (8, 6 and 2) spent hours and hours in the garden on the trampoline and generally running about in the sunshine whilst DH and I worked and the older 2 did some lessons when we could fit them in.
In this new lockdown, DC1 has to be on teams 9:15 - 12 and 1:15 - 2, and DC2 has a more structured timetable than last time, relating to this term's curriculum. DH and I are both full time WFH.
Because of the weather they aren't wanting to go out in the garden at all. By the time we've finished a work day, it's dark outside, too dark for the park or football.
I'm making them do go noodle twice a day and thinking about buying Just Dance but it doesn't seem enough.
What are your kids doing for exercise on weekdays?

I should add that when schools were open we walked there and back each way, 1 mile from home to school, so even if they won't go out to play it felt like they were getting enough by default, plus playtime at school, so that was my benchmark.

Could your DC coordinate a lunch hour/half hour with you or DH, and go into the garden then?
15 minute run before breakfast.
Walk after dark.

I don't have a primary aged DC, just suggestions as to what might work.

Looking for ideas too. Don't actually know school timetable yet (Scotland) but it's so bloody icy everywhere (canal frozen enough that youfs are now walking/jumping on it) that I'm struggling for exercise ideas for the DC. Today they ran laps of the living room, bounced off the walls/furniture and were "difficult".

Last time the trampoline was used a lot as was the garden, not really possible now!

We are walking to school. In effect leave house at 7:55 and do a loop walk (same distance to school except there and back) to start teams at 8:25

I'm forcing mine out for a walk at lunchtime, but I don't have time for more than about 20 minutes because I've got work to do. It's not enough. She normally walks to and from school as well as playing with her friends at school.

We did PE with Joe last lockdown, but expectations of live lessons are higher this time, not for dd (her school have high numbers of KW children, there isn't the capacity for live lessons there), but for me. I can't spend half an hour doing PE with dd every morning, I'm supposed to be teaching A Level maths. Last time everything I set was pre-recorded, so I was more able to work early in the morning and later in the evening, not so much this time.

Mine have got a few things booked in the evenings as their dance and gym etc have gone online.

DH is taking the oldest with him when he runs at lunch every other day. We have a basketball hoop that the older 2 like to shoot at and they just turn the outdoor lights on.

The dog gets walked in the dark at either end of the day.

When we had to isolate we did a stairs chasing game each evening before bed that knackered us all, and got a lot of steps in!

We will have a very active weekend if possible with a long walk and long bike ride.

I think it's going to be really hard this time.

I've been getting them to do 10 minutes of 30 second intervals: star jumps, high knees, teddy bear rolls...

DH had them running up and down the stairs on a relay at lunchtime.

They've done lots of YouTube exercise videos for kids. Cosmic Kids is great if you think they might like yoga.

Joe Wicks is back on from next week: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

I dragged them out for a walk yesterday evening (not their favourite and it was freezing!).

There are a few websites that have downloadable treasure hunts suitable for kids. It's worth a look to see if there's one for your local area:

• Treasure Trails has ghost ones that can work quite nicely when it's semi-dark.
• Treasure Map Trails
• Huntfun has the widest range of locations that I've come across.

If the kids have finished their schoolwork then I also let them have unlimited screen time on our Switch or Wii exercise games: Just Dance, Ring Fit Adventure, Jedi School and a samba drumming game I can't remember.

Lunchtime walk. We also did PE with Joe last time but not feasible this time at 9am, maybe he’ll get wheeled out after school hours.

Can they exercise between 12-1?

Our boys have a kickabout outside whatever the weather at lunchtime, then we all go for a walk when the school day ends. Our "walk home from school"

I appreciate the whole WfH /home school thing is totally impossible but I do think exercise has to be prioritised by the whole family (including parents!)

I was shocked how many children put on a lot of weight last lockdown.

We’ve got to be careful as we did serious snacking over Xmas that we get back into a proper snack schedule otherwise the eating will get out of hand too.

Mine are slightly older but I have decided I can work(ft) and help with online school and feed and provide a loving warm clean home but that is it. I am a single parent. Only one of three kids will independently exercise but I just don't have capacity to do any more than that. I half feel like I have given up and should try harder to make them, but also feel like surviving is plenty. One sees no daylight ever

If you have a Switch we are finding Ring Fit to be good exercise and fun too. We are all doing is dc are 8 & 12, they have a section with mini workout games if you don’t have time for the adventure.

Yes it’s more screen time but they are up and moving around so better than nothing!

Maybe a mini exercise trampoline if you have room?

Thanks, lots to think about!

I don't think I'll get us out for a walk before 9:15, whatever our best intentions! Would be easier if we had a dog, but we don't.

Ring fit would be great but they seem to be sold out everywhere. I'll keep an eye out. Like the idea of a mini trampoline too.

Does anyone have a kids smart watch with a step counter game? We've got a kiddizoom watch but it's not great. Pondering a Garmin vivofit thing to motivate them to move about.

Dp is doing the homeschooling here. He's been doing cosmic kids yoga first thing (i imagine he'll move back to Joe Wicks next week) and everyone goes out for an hour at lunchtime with the dog.

We also got a Ring Fit for DC for Christmas, it's worth persisting looking for. I'm using it as much as they are!

It’s really hard now we are in a winter lockdown.
We get out for a walk before school at home ( live lessons start at 8.50). I sometimes go for a run and a child might come.
Walks in the dark are fun too, if you take a torch and wrap up warm. My kids like a nose through the windows!

Lunchtime. It's too icy here to go out any other time. We're in a flat so if we don't go at lunch we'll be in all day so I'm making sure it happens. If we had a garden it would be easier as it would be as hoc but we don't.

a short walk/roller skate at lunch time 15-20 min and 3x a week we go for a run together.
disclaimer: youngest is in last year of primary.

I introduced dd to Mr Motivator. No jumping so will not piss off flat below us.