Daily Fitness

Daily Fitness is a morning exercise program which teaches the children leadership and teamwork skills. Again, the cross-age framework supports students as they develop relationships in all sectors of the school. Older students guide younger students to develop the practical skills-based and gross motor skills they need to enjoy and develop competence in sport- based activities.

Daily Fitness, Daily Fun

If you’re passing Newstead Primary School soon after 9am, any day of the week, you’ll hear dance beats and pop music, and you’ll see the younger kids at the school stretching, star jumping, jogging on the sport and, occasionally, doing the Time Warp, the Bus Stop or the Nutbush. This is Daily Fitness, NPS’s unique, morning physical activity program.

The Daily Fitness routine begins at 9am. The grade Prep to 4s warm up with their stretching and dance moves, led by teachers revealing their favourite current tunes. Small groups of grade 5/6s set up separate activities and games in different areas within the school yard. The activities change every term but if there is a sports day coming up the activities may be geared towards practising for that particular day. Activities also hone skills for sport or simple hand-eye coordination. The activities make use of cones, hula-hoops, hurdles, balls or whatever is necessary.

Once the warmups are finished, the 5/6 leaders take their group of Prep to 4s to an activity station, and the youngsters move through each activity every five minutes or so. At about 9.30 there is a ‘cool down’ session before the kids move into their classrooms for the day’s teaching.

In addition to the exercise benefits and skills development Daily Fitness builds leadership skills in the Grade 5/6s and encourages the students to mix with and relate to peers from the different year levels. As one student says, ‘Daily Fitness gets the whole school involved. It’s fun for all!’