Hellow TTK Families!
Today we are bringing you Mike’s favourite activity.
I have worked in child care for quite a long time, I have also coach various sports since my teens and I am the oldest of 5 boys. I know how to be loud, have fun and give the kids what they need. Mike’s Bootcamp has definitely evolved over the years and the kids named it, not me!
In an effort to slow some group hyper behaviour I started taking kids outside for stretching and running, I have found that some of the best activities involve nothing but the outside and that’s it. I have a big jovial voice so during these stretches I bark orders at the kids. Here are the rules:
Kids spread out on flat area, they must listen and do exactly what I say or they will do extra exercise and not get the reward at the end. Start with simple stretches, reach up touch the sky and then down low to touch your toes. I count to 10 out loud for everything and ask the kids to do the same, we’ll move into some lung stretches and arm stretches. Then it’s 10 jumping jacks, 10 jumps ensure your feet are going so high you are kicking your butt, quick down on your stomach, on your feet, back to stomach and roll over on your back. I will do these a few times over switching it up and changing the speed in which actions are to be complete. Then we’ll do some sit ups, followed by some push ups and maybe some jump jacks. We then move to a run, I will pick objects within sight, “run and touch me 3 trees then go down a slide”, once everything is complete we end with the following.
“Everyone make sure you have space, for 10 seconds I will allow each of you to be as loud, crazy and wild as you like, but you must not hurt others and stop when the 10 seconds is up. Are all of you ready? 3, 2, 1 and go!” Controlled chaos ensues and everyone is laughing at the end.
We will then move into a game of “Don’t wake up the kids” and “East, West, North, South”.
Everything above is done with just a big voice and zero equipment, the kids have a great time and so do the Staff. We knocked off about an hour of time, the worked off some of the hyper behaviour and had fun doing it.