Rainy Day Exercises
By Jeffrey Crupi

When faced with April showers, a little creativity can help you motivate your students to stay physically active. With the variety of exercises listed below, you can mix and match these activities to best meet the needs of your students.

Stretching/flexibility

• Superman Stretch – Lift your arms above your head and reach for the ceiling.
• Side Bends – Place your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on your waist. Lean to the left, then back to center. Lean to the right, then back to center. Repeat several times.
• Trunk Twists – Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms straight out to the sides, parallel to floor. Twist right, then back to center; twist left, then back to center. Repeat.

Calisthenics

• Jumping Jacks – How many jumping jacks can students do in one minute? Do three sets of jumping jacks for one- minute intervals. Students can graph their results and discuss their findings.
• Jog and Run in Place – (A radio or cd player is needed for this activity.) Students begin by jogging in place. When music starts to play, students take the pace up to a sprint. Turn the music off and resume jogging in place. Alternate between the two for five minutes, then allow for a rest and/or water break.
• Ups and Downs – Jump up in the air, then land in a squat position. Next, place your hands on the ground and kick your legs back so you are in a push-up position. Do not do a push-up; rather, move back to a squat position, then jump back up in the air. Repeat this sequence several times.

Games

• Snake – Two students each hold one end of a jump rope and wiggle the rope up and down or side to side. The rest of the class takes turns trying to jump over the rope without letting their feet touch the rope ("snake bite").
• Circle Jump – The class forms a circle and one student stands in the middle, holding a jump rope by one end. He or she then spins around, swinging the rope in a circle at floor level. The rest of the children jump over the rope as it comes in front of them.
• Ball Passes – Pairs of children stand back-to-back, each pair with their own ball. One child holds a ball, twists his or her torso and passes the ball to his or her partner. The partner returns the ball in the opposite direction so a circle is formed. Students can chart how many passes they're able to do with their partners in a minute's time.

Even on rainy days it's possible to squeeze in physical activity and fun!

Jeffrey Crupi is the owner of Peak Fitness Gym in Westport, CT. He is a certified fitness specialist with a degree from Marymount Manhattan College.