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FITNESS UNIVERSITY
KR Kids Research Page
We're ALL Number 1 Today
Story and Photos by Carol Goodrow
Intro | Expo and KR Research | Links and Printables
| This piece highlights the final session of a community project on kids' running and fitness, shows how an elite athlete joined the activities to encourage our kids, and includes some data collected from kids on how they would spend the daily recommended hour of vigorous exercise. Please view this page, click on the links, and find some ideas to help build your own community running and fitness programs. |
INTRO
The children running at this event were only from 3 - 14 years old, but they had all graduated from the university; Fitness University in Nashua, New Hampshire. There were no books to buy, or exams to take, but they did have "Finals" consisting of lots of active fun including: jumping jacks, stretching, running, a health/fitness expo, healthy snacks, medals and T-shirts. This event was organized by the Gate City Striders and Sponsored by Southern New Hampshire Medical Center.
Finals Day was the culminating activity of a series of optional training clinics. The clinics featured running games like "Back to Front" (Indian style running), relays, and "Red Light/Green Light" followed by a healthy treat, such as watermelon and plenty of cool water. Fun raffles were held. Frisbees and T-shirts were handed out. Many former Fitness University graduates helped out at the clinics. There were eight-ten clinics in greater Nashua leading up to Finals Day. These clinics helped the attendees prepare for Finals Day, however they were not a prerequisite for the event. Most children attended 2-3 clinics.
EXPO AND KR RESEARCHAt the health/fitness expo, the kids and their parents obtained information on a variety of topics including: nutrition, fitness, food allergies and safety practices. Then it was a final stop, at the KR table, to help KidsRunning.Com answer an important question, "How will you spend your recommended daily hour of exercise?"
By filling in pie charts designed as models of an hour, 46 kids (23 boys and 23 girls) let us know about their dream hour of exercise.
The children understood that each slice of the pie was equal to 1/6 of an hour or a ten minute block. They were allowed to fill in one type of exercise for each slice or fill in different exercises for some or all of the segments, based on their "dream hour of exercise".The results were varied, but there were some trends, perhaps unexpected, but that's kids for you.
TREND #1Thirteen kids chose an entirely different activity for each 10 minute block, even after discussing the feasibility with their parents. They still wanted the variety within the hour; the more the better.
TREND #2
All the children accepted that they should participate in vigorous exercise for an hour. No one thought the time requirement was too high. They each knew which types of exercise were acceptable, even the child who wrote 'video games' in two blocks, then quickly crossed it out and replaced 'video games' with swimming.
TREND #3The youngest children participated just like the older kids, with their own ideas and if they could, with their own printing and sometimes spelling too. By the age of 3 and 4 they showed that they already have strong preferences about how they want to exercise.
TREND #4
Running was the preference of girls with a significant difference over the other activities. Running and swimming tied for boys.
TREND #5
There were only 3 children who were faithful to only one sport: one girl cyclist, one boy swimmer, and one boy treadmill runner.
TREND #6
KR defined 'specializing' as choosing one sport for a half hour (3 blocks) or more. 8 girls and 11 boys specialized. There were no age related trends for specializing, but the sports chosen were from greatest to least:
(Girls)
- running
- swimming or cycling
(Boys)
- running, cycling, or swimming
- gymnastics or basketball
Here are the top exercise choices for boys and girls. Each point equals a 10 minute block of exercise.
| Boys' Activities | Points | Girls' Activities | Points |
| Running or Swimming | 26 | Running | 38 |
| Bike Riding | 25 | Bike Riding | 31 |
| Basketball | 11 | Swimming | 24 |
| Playing Outdoors | 9 | Playing Outdoors | 10 |
| Riding a Scooter or Soccer | 7 | Basketball or Riding a Scooter | 5 |
| Football | 5 | Jumping Rope, Roller Blading, or Calisthenics | 3 |
Other activities listed by boys included: jumping rope, skateboarding, walking, hiking, baseball, gymnastics, frisbee, stretching, calisthenics, and karate.
Girls also named: dance (tap and ballet), playing ball, karate, softball, baseball, chasing butterflies, skateboarding, volleyball, and walking the dog.
Family Fun at the KR Kids' Research Table
LINKS AND PRINTABLESBlank Hour of Exercise Pie Chart
Fitness University Web Site
Press Release: Fit and Healthy KID STYLE
Preventive Nutrition: Fit and Healthy KID STYLE
Journal Writing Blank
Journal Cover
Run and Journal Form
Run and Journal Picture Blank
Free Running Bookmarks
Contact Bob Pelletier of the Gate City Striders at A2DPELL@aol.com for more info on this great program.
 Editor's Note: Running and writing are more fun when they are combined. Lace up your running shoes and get out the door. Start up slowly, then pick up the pace and have a great run. Cool down, drink and stretch, then break out that running journal and let 'er rip!
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