Exercise and Count by 5’s is a classroom hit across the world. It’s cool Latin beat makes it easy to exercise and count by 5.
The exercises of stretching their arms and legs across the mid-line of their bodies help kids with engaging both their bodies and their minds.
Making exercise and learning fun for kids is important for their physical and emotional growth. Exercise and Count by 5’s does this beautifully as well as develop children’s gross motor movements.
Follow along with me and count by 5 out loud and exercise.
This educational song focuses on “skip counting” by 10’s to 100 and then “skip counting” back.
The upbeat fun Caribbean rhythm makes it easy to also incorporate movements as you count. This is a wonderful brain and body connection for learning and moving.
This great children’s song has the children skip count multiple times, so they really get the opportunity to skip count and move again and again. The repetition aids in the learning and the fun.
Children countout loud forward and back as they follow along and move together in the classroom. Children will see the numbers large on screen to reinforce their number recognition.
Let’s Get Fit (Count to 100 by 1’s) is one of the most popular educational songs in my library. Teachers love how the song gets kids up and moving while learning to count to 100. They also love the video because it shows the movements for kids to follow along and has the numbers appear large and clear on screen.
This version takes all the things teachers love and teaches kids the Spanish pronunciations. The numbers are still displayed large and clear on screen as children hear the number called out in Spanish.
The exercises directions are also called out in Spanish and shown in Spanish on screen, so children can see the words and how they are spelled.
Based on the title you are probably wondering why I’m posting about shapes on a blog about physical fitness.
The best answer I can give can offer is the song is designed around active learning. The beat is fun, energetic and makes you want to move along. As an educational song it’s good because the lyrics describe the shape and the video is great because it shows children the shape on screen and then has them draw the shape in the air with their arms.
A number of 2D shapes are covered with this children’s song; including the circle, square, triangle, rectangle and oval.
Watch the video and share it with your children, friends and class. Leave me a comment about the video!
The children’s song, Shape Up is on my album, Every 1 Counts.
Exercising in the morning is said to increase the chances that you will continue to exercise. It’s also believed to help jump start your metabolism and increase mental sharpness.
The exercise performed is not important. For example you can walk, run, do aerobic exercises like squats, jumping jacks and arm circles. I have a number of children’s songs that focus on physical fitness.
There are three types of learners; they are auditory, visual, and kinesthetic. Kinesthetic learners learn best while moving. So, completing other actions that reinforce the material helps these children to retain the information.
For these children this morning exercise routine is a great time to work on those other skills. For example you can do Jumping Jacks for 100 seconds to teach kids to count to 100. Another idea is to have children workout to the letter sounds.
P.E. Teachers often ask me to create an album for them to use in their physical education curriculum. So, here is what I created. This is a compilation album of some of my best physical fitness songs. The songs on this album cover a variety of curriculum all while placing an emphasis on movement.
Gross Motor Movement is the movement of the body. Lifting your arms, walking, running, swimming, biking and dancing are all examples of gross motor movements.
In the Penguin Dance Chant children follow a growing pattern. Children must listen and follow the directions to perform the dance. We mirror the movements in the video so that children can follow along more easily.
To perform the dance you need to follow the simple steps described below.
Penguins Attention: Children point their nose to the sky
Left Flipper: Children raise their left arm
Right Flipper: Children raise both their left arm and right arm
Left leg: Children raise their left arm, right arm and left leg
Right leg: Children raise their left arm, right arm, left leg and right leg
Turn Around: Children Turn in a circle while raising their left and right arms and legs
Penguin Sound: Repeat all the actions above while making a honking sound
Below is the video you can follow along with. Use it as a brain break to help children get the wiggles out and refocus on the subject you are teaching. This is also a good aerobic exercise for kids.
One of my most popular songs is, “Let’s Get Fit – Counting to 100 by 1’s“. Throughout my 30 years as an educator, I’ve always tried to have a focus on physical education.
Exercise is part of my daily routine. Every day I walk, run, ride my bike, golf or swim for at least an hour or more. Obesity is a real issue for our youth. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention website, “In 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.”
Studies have shown the importance of physical education for both the body and mind. Also according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention website, “Regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence improves strength and endurance, helps build healthy bones and muscles, helps control weight, reduces anxiety and stress, increases self-esteem, and may improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels.”
P.E. helps counter health risks associated with obesity, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, joint problems and promotes self-esteem. The CDC website states, “Schools can promote physical activity through comprehensive school physical activity programs, including recess, classroom-based physical activity, intramural physical activity clubs, interscholastic sports, and physical education.”
Moving, while practicing skills such as counting, helps young children learn as they use both their bodies and brains. Music activities for kids are a great way to achieve both goals. Math songs for kids such as, “Let’s Get Fit – Counting to 100 by 1’s” help engage student’s body and brain as they count in groups of ten while engaging a different exercises for each group.
My goal is to make exercise fun for children because I believe if they are having fun they will want to exercise more and continue to be healthy and fit as adults.
Have kids perform these exercises while counting to 100 by 1’s out loud.
1 – 10 Stretch your arms over your head
11 – 20 Stretch your legs side to side
21 – 30 Pump each arm up above your head
31 – 40 Arm Circles
41 – 50 Shoulder Shrugs
51 – 60 Pump your elbows back
61 – 70 Windmills (touch your hand to the opposite foot)
71 – 80 Walk in place
81 – 90 Jog in place
91 – 100 Clap up high
To enhance the learning experience, watch the video below while performing the above exercises. Children will hear the instructions, follow along while counting and see the large numbers on the screen as they exercise and count.
You can find the song, “Let’s Get Fit – Counting to 100 by 1’s” on my album, “Movin’ 2 Math“.
Physical Education Lesson Plans 