It’s a new year, and as everyone is talking about their New Year’s Resolutions, so we thought we’d get in on the act. Not to tell you about the many positive changes we’re making for the next 12 months (trust us, there are loads) but to help you get a head start on yours – and most importantly to give you some outside-the-box ideas to get the kids more active in 2024.

We’d love you to get involved as often as you can, share snaps or videos with us of the kids taking part throughout the year (find us on socials @PremEducationUK) and please, have a bunch of fun taking part with your family – or your class, if you’re joining in from school

January: Rolling into the New Year with our Workout Dice Challenge

Let’s face it, it’s freezing outside. So, we’re sticking indoors for this one.

All we’re going to need is:

– A safe space without obstructions, pets, or any objects we might not want to bump into. A carpeted room would be perfect, just so we don’t slip.

– A standard, six-sided die

– two or more players

That’s the equipment list boxed off. Let’s get to it.

How to play:

1. Work together to write a list of six exercises and assign a number to each (e.g. star jumps = number 1, toe touches = number 2 and so on)

2. Decide how many of each exercise you can do (we recommend starting with 6)

3. Gather in your suitable space and roll the die once each to see who goes first (highest score)

4. As the die lands on a number, the player who rolled should perform the exercise assigned to that number (e.g. if you roll a 2, you complete 6 toe touches)

5. Great job! The next player can pick up the die and get ready to roll!

6. Complete several rounds of the game – see which player can check off all 6 exercises first!

Want to make the game a little more challenging or interesting? You could…

– Roll the die for each other’s exercises (all players except the die-roller complete the exercise)

– Increase the number of repetitions for each exercise

– Come up with your own special rules – the kids will have a brilliant imagination for this one. Here’s one we like: change one number to a ‘magic number’ that brings a special reward for the player – or a forfeit for the other players!

We’re really looking forward to you taking part in the Workout Dice Challenge throughout January. Don’t forget to share your best efforts with us @PremEducationUK. Happy New Year – and happy rolling!

To help your family out even more with the healthy start to 2024, we put together a No Junk January calendar. It’s easy to follow and rewarding to complete. Give it a go!

February: Random Acts of Kindness (and Fitness) 

After what could possibly have been the longest January of all time, February is finally here! To lift our spirits and embrace the month of love, we’re challenging kids to a month of nicety.  

With Valentine’s Day on February 14th and Random Acts of Kindness day on the February 17th, it may just be the nicest month of the year. But why restrict to just two days of goodness. Let’s be extra nice all month and make it a habit we can carry on all year! 

Encourage your child/ren to follow along with our free February Kindness Calendar to embed kindness into their life (for February and beyond!) They can also enjoy the exercise challenges thrown in throughout the month to be kind to themselves too. 

Still in need of some sweetness? – head on over to our Pancake Day blog for inspiration!

March: Reading Challenge

As we march onwards through the year (pun intended 😊), it’s time to relax, unwind and enjoy escaping into a literary world of wonder. 

In celebration of World Book Day on March 7th, many schools will be encouraging pupils to dress as their favourite book character. Here at Premier Education, our wish is to promote a full month of reading and enjoyment (on top of school requirements) with children taking on our Reading Tracker Challenge. Challenge children to read more than they normally would. Using the bookshelf below, children should colour in a book every time they read ten pages in one sitting, aiming to have a fully coloured bookshelf by the end of the month! 

And it wouldn’t be a Premier Active Challenge without an element of fitness, so we are also providing a book character inspired workout to enjoy on weekends (or more often if that’s what you want to do!) 

Horrid Henry Hops (10 hops on one leg, 10 hops on the other) 

Judy Moody Marches (High-knee march on the spot for 30 seconds) 

Benjamin Bunny Burpees (Five full burpees) 

Peter Parker Plank (30 second plank) 

Tabby McTat Twists (10 Russian twists) 

…repeat three times! 

Let’s get going Book Worms!

 

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April: Embrace the outdoors

Spring has officially sprung (on March 19th), and although the weather might not be playing along just yet, it’s still a great time of year to get outside and explore the ever-changing world on your doorstep. 

This month we’re reflecting on our favourite outdoorsy challenges from the 2023 Active Challenge. These are just our top three, but there are plenty more to choose from. We’d love to know your favourite. 😊  

#1. Winter Scavenger Hunt (from January 9th 2023)  

#2. DIY Nature Bracelet (from July 10th 2023) 

#3. Rugby Challenge (from September 11th 2023) 

We also have a fantastic Spring Flower Scavenger Hunt for you to enjoy (complete with a bingo card of flowers to complete) as well as a variety of fun Spring crafts and activities. 

If you’re looking for something more energetic, our Easter Activity Book includes an Easter Holidays Fitness Challenge to follow throughout the holidays.

May: Embracing Mindfulness

School life is hectic – for some, SATS are looming large, and for others, the daily bustle of the school playground can be a lot. It’s important to equip children with calming coping mechanisms for when the stress and worry becomes overwhelming.

Mindfulness is a great way to refocus and instil a sense of calm. It’s a handy tool to reset stress and a way to find just a moment of calm. Not only for children, but for parents too.

In addition, mindfulness can also help with:

• Improved social skills;
• Reduced attention problems;
• Mitigating the effects of bullying;
• Improved academic performance;
• Reduced anxiety; and
• Improved mental health and wellbeing.

Help your mini-me(s) follow along with our Mindful Moments worksheet as often as you like. We suggest at least once, preferably twice, a week. We hope you find it useful!