Printable kids workouts
Four things to print from the Gym: workout cards, a dice workout, a Skills Wheel to colour in, and a class plan for a teacher. Nothing to download. Each one has its own Print button, and everything on them comes from the same workouts as the Gym, so a card and its page always say the same thing.
Workout cards
One workout a card: what you need, the warm-up, the work, the cool-down and the game it ends with. Cut them out, keep them in a box, and pull one out when somebody says they are bored.
Paper: Letter · A4
⚽ Ball and Back
Carry, Lift, Throw · Climbers · ages 9 to 12 · 14 min
You need: a ball, a soft ball, a towel, a wall; a room
Warm up: Arm circles, Cat and cow, Leg swings, Squat, Inchworm
The work. Do the whole list, then do it again.
- 5 rounds: 8 pick it up · 8 press it up · 8 squat holding it · 8 chest pass (rest 25 seconds)
Cool down: Towel over your head, Cat and cow, Reach for your toes, Calf stretch
Stop and get a grown-up if you feel dizzy, sick, out of breath or a sharp hurt. peabody.kids/gym/ball-and-back
🎒 The Carry
Carry, Lift, Throw · Athletes · ages 12 to 14 · 15 min
You need: a ball, a step, a wall, a backpack, two books; a hallway
Warm up: Arm circles, Leg swings, Cat and cow, Squat, Inchworm
The work. Do the whole list, then do it again.
- 4 rounds: 20 metres of carry it · 10 pick it up · 10 lunge · 12 step-up · 10 squat holding it (rest 40 seconds)
Cool down: Heel to bottom, Calf stretch, Reach for your toes, Cat and cow
Grown-up: Check the bag yourself before they start: one or two books, and nothing hard-cornered.
Stop and get a grown-up if you feel dizzy, sick, out of breath or a sharp hurt. peabody.kids/gym/the-carry
🎯 Throw and Chase
Carry, Lift, Throw · Movers · ages 7 to 9 · 10 min
You need: a ball, a soft ball, a towel, a wall; a room
Warm up: Arm circles, Leg swings, Cat and cow, Squat
The work. Do the whole list, then do it again.
- 4 rounds: 8 chest pass · 8 overhead throw · 6 pull it to your chin · 6 squat (rest 25 seconds)
Cool down: Towel over your head, Cat and cow, Reach for your toes
Then play: 🎈 Keep It Up
Stop and get a grown-up if you feel dizzy, sick, out of breath or a sharp hurt. peabody.kids/gym/throw-and-chase
💥 Slam and Press
Carry, Lift, Throw · Climbers · ages 9 to 12 · 14 min
You need: a ball, a soft ball, a towel, a wall; a room
Warm up: Arm circles, Leg swings, Cat and cow, Squat, Inchworm
The work. Do the whole list, then do it again.
- 5 rounds: 8 dip and drive · 8 ball slam · 8 squat with a towel up · 8 pull it to your chin (rest 30 seconds)
Cool down: Towel over your head, Cat and cow, Reach for your toes, Calf stretch
Grown-up: Check the ball is a soft one that will not bounce back up, and the ceiling before the first press.
Stop and get a grown-up if you feel dizzy, sick, out of breath or a sharp hurt. peabody.kids/gym/slam-and-press
That is the first page. Print gives all 6, on 2 pages.
⚽ Ball and Back
Carry, Lift, Throw · Climbers · ages 9 to 12 · 14 min
You need: a ball, a soft ball, a towel, a wall; a room
Warm up: Arm circles, Cat and cow, Leg swings, Squat, Inchworm
The work. Do the whole list, then do it again.
- 5 rounds: 8 pick it up · 8 press it up · 8 squat holding it · 8 chest pass (rest 25 seconds)
Cool down: Towel over your head, Cat and cow, Reach for your toes, Calf stretch
Stop and get a grown-up if you feel dizzy, sick, out of breath or a sharp hurt. peabody.kids/gym/ball-and-back
🎒 The Carry
Carry, Lift, Throw · Athletes · ages 12 to 14 · 15 min
You need: a ball, a step, a wall, a backpack, two books; a hallway
Warm up: Arm circles, Leg swings, Cat and cow, Squat, Inchworm
The work. Do the whole list, then do it again.
- 4 rounds: 20 metres of carry it · 10 pick it up · 10 lunge · 12 step-up · 10 squat holding it (rest 40 seconds)
Cool down: Heel to bottom, Calf stretch, Reach for your toes, Cat and cow
Grown-up: Check the bag yourself before they start: one or two books, and nothing hard-cornered.
Stop and get a grown-up if you feel dizzy, sick, out of breath or a sharp hurt. peabody.kids/gym/the-carry
🎯 Throw and Chase
Carry, Lift, Throw · Movers · ages 7 to 9 · 10 min
You need: a ball, a soft ball, a towel, a wall; a room
Warm up: Arm circles, Leg swings, Cat and cow, Squat
The work. Do the whole list, then do it again.
- 4 rounds: 8 chest pass · 8 overhead throw · 6 pull it to your chin · 6 squat (rest 25 seconds)
Cool down: Towel over your head, Cat and cow, Reach for your toes
Then play: 🎈 Keep It Up
Stop and get a grown-up if you feel dizzy, sick, out of breath or a sharp hurt. peabody.kids/gym/throw-and-chase
💥 Slam and Press
Carry, Lift, Throw · Climbers · ages 9 to 12 · 14 min
You need: a ball, a soft ball, a towel, a wall; a room
Warm up: Arm circles, Leg swings, Cat and cow, Squat, Inchworm
The work. Do the whole list, then do it again.
- 5 rounds: 8 dip and drive · 8 ball slam · 8 squat with a towel up · 8 pull it to your chin (rest 30 seconds)
Cool down: Towel over your head, Cat and cow, Reach for your toes, Calf stretch
Grown-up: Check the ball is a soft one that will not bounce back up, and the ceiling before the first press.
Stop and get a grown-up if you feel dizzy, sick, out of breath or a sharp hurt. peabody.kids/gym/slam-and-press
🫙 The Long Carry
Carry, Lift, Throw · Athletes · ages 12 to 14 · 12 min
You need: a ball, a wall, a jug, a basket; a hallway
Warm up: Arm circles, Leg swings, Cat and cow, Squat, Inchworm
The work. Do the whole list, then do it again.
- 4 rounds: 20 metres of farmer carry · 15 metres of drag the basket · 10 pick it up · 10 lunge (rest 45 seconds)
Cool down: Heel to bottom, Calf stretch, Reach for your toes, Cat and cow
Grown-up: Fill the jugs no more than half, and check the basket is packed flat before they start.
Stop and get a grown-up if you feel dizzy, sick, out of breath or a sharp hurt. peabody.kids/gym/the-long-carry
🪝 Shoulders and Grip
Carry, Lift, Throw · Athletes · ages 12 to 14 · 11 min
You need: a towel, a wall, a jug, a cushion, a climbing frame; a park or a hall
Warm up: Arm circles, Leg swings, Cat and cow, Inchworm, Squat
The work. Do the whole list, then do it again.
- 4 rounds: 8 hanging shrug · 20 seconds of hang · 20 seconds of hold it overhead · 20 metres of farmer carry (rest 45 seconds)
Cool down: Towel over your head, Cat and cow, Reach for your toes, Calf stretch
Grown-up: Check the bar and what is under it, half-fill the jugs, and stay nearby for the hangs.
Stop and get a grown-up if you feel dizzy, sick, out of breath or a sharp hurt. peabody.kids/gym/shoulders-and-grip
The dice workout sheet
🎲 The dice workout
- Write six moves on a bit of paper, numbered one to six.
- Roll a dice, or think of a number, and do that move.
- Roll again for how many: that's your reps.
- Keep rolling until you have done eight rolls.
- No gear, no noise, and a different workout every single time.
First roll: which move
| 1 | 🪑 Squat |
| 2 | 🧎 Knee push-up |
| 3 | 📏 Plank |
| 4 | 🌉 Bridge |
| 5 | 🦀 Crab walk |
| 6 | 🏃 Jog on the spot |
Or write your own six
| 1 | |
| 2 | |
| 3 | |
| 4 | |
| 5 | |
| 6 |
Your 8 rolls
| Roll | Move | How many | Done ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |||
| 2 | |||
| 3 | |||
| 4 | |||
| 5 | |||
| 6 | |||
| 7 | |||
| 8 |
🃏 No dice? Use a deck of cards
| ♥ | Hearts: 🪑 Squat |
| ♠ | Spades: 🧎 Knee push-up |
| ♣ | Clubs: 🌉 Bridge |
| ♦ | Diamonds: 🌙 Hollow hold |
- Give each suit a move: hearts, spades, clubs, diamonds.
- The number on the card is how many you do.
- Turn a card over, do the move, turn the next one.
- Picture cards are ten. An ace is one, which feels like a present.
- Stop whenever you like. The deck doesn't mind.
Stop and get a grown-up if you feel dizzy, sick, out of breath or a sharp hurt.
The same games on screen: Dice Workout and Card Deck Workout.
The Skills Wheel, to colour in
🎡 My Skills Wheel
Every time you finish a workout, colour one band on each skill it trained: the workout's page lists them under "trains". 8 bands fill a spoke. A round wheel means you are working on all ten.
The ten parts of fitness
- 🫁 Keeping going (your body learns it). How long you can keep going without stopping. Try: Twenty On, Ten Off · Up and Down the Hallway · Jump Rope Minute.
- 🔋 Staying power (your body learns it). How long your energy lasts before you run out. Try: Hold Still · Hang and Climb · Tummy and Back.
- 💪 Strength (your body learns it). How hard your muscles can push or pull. Try: Tummy and Back · Hang and Climb · Shoulders and Grip.
- 🤸 Bendiness (your body learns it). How far you can bend and reach. Try: Morning Stretch · After Sitting All Day · Before Bed Stretch.
- 🚀 Springiness (both). How fast you can be strong — a jump, a throw. Try: Slam and Press · Throw and Chase · How Far Can You Jump?.
- ⚡ Speed (both). How quickly you can do the same thing over and over. Try: Rope and Toss · Jump Rope Minute · Out and Back.
- 🤹 Putting it together (your brain learns it). Making two or three moves into one smooth one. Try: Twenty On, Ten Off · Jump Rope Minute · Corners.
- 🔀 Quick changes (your brain learns it). How fast you can swap from one move to another. Try: Up and Down the Hallway · Corners · Roll and Tumble.
- 🦩 Balance (your brain learns it). Staying over your own feet without wobbling. Try: How Far Can You Jump? · Mirror Workout · Land Like a Cat.
- 🎯 Aim (your brain learns it). Putting your body, or a ball, exactly where you meant to. Try: Hopscotch Rounds · Throw and Chase · Pass and Squat.
On screen the wheel fills itself in: the ten skills and your wheel.
A class plan
For a PE lesson or a wet lunchtime: a class in its five parts, warm-up, learn the moves, the workout, the game and a talk at the end, timed from the workout itself. Pick one of the class workouts.
🔄 Corners: a class plan
ages 6 to 9 · 6 to 40 children · about 25 minutes
Class Date
Before you start
- One corner per movement, and send them off in small groups so nobody is queueing.
- Everybody moves at once, each child in their own space: nobody queues for a turn.
- Nobody is out. A team can race a clock or a task, never another child.
- Stop signals, read out before any clock starts: You feel dizzy or the room spins. Your chest hurts. You can't catch your breath. Something hurts sharply, in one spot. You feel sick. Stop, sit down, and get a grown-up. Stopping is always the right answer.
Warm-up2 min
- Arm circles
- Leg swings
- March
- Cat and cow
Learn the moves4 min
- Jog on the spot: Tiny steps, barely leaving the floor.
- Gallop: Same foot leads all the way down.
- Side shuffle: Knees bent and stay low the whole way.
- March: Knee up to about your hip.
The workout9 min
- Do the whole list, then do it again.
- 5 rounds: 30 seconds of jog on the spot · 20 seconds of gallop · 20 seconds of side shuffle · 12 march, rest 25 seconds
- Call the corner, and let the whole class set off at once.
The game7 min
- Traffic Lights.
- One person is the traffic light and calls out colours.
- Green is jog on the spot, amber is march, red is freeze in a shape.
- Add your own: purple is a crab walk, blue is one leg.
- Nobody is ever out — if you get it wrong you just change to the right one.
- Swap who is the light every minute.
Cool-down1 min
- Calf stretch
- Reach for your toes
- Cat and cow
Talk about it2 min
- Move your own body, move something else, or go somewhere. Do all three.
- Look at your Skills Wheel. Which of the three ways have you been skipping?
Notes
More for a whole class: the Gym for teachers, PE games and brain breaks.
The 10 skills, the three ways to move and why the easier version is never the lesser one are all in Fitness School.