Cultivating a grateful heart supports a grace-filled life. We are surrounded by numerous blessings worth praising God for, pilule even when we experience troubles.
To encourage thankfulness, fitness activities can center on gratitude. Begin this activity with creating a “Thankful Tree” (see a picture of ours on the right). As a family, state specific health and fitness aspects for which you are thankful. Brainstorm ideas on how we can thank God for creating such amazing, hard-working bodies. One way to thank Him for our health: by taking care of our bodies!
Complete this “Give Thanks” Circuit with this mindset of praising God for His gifts. (Activity idea revised originally)
Begin in a decently sized playing space (outside or an open living room works well). Each of your kids (and you, too!) will spell out “GIVE THANKS” as you complete an exercise with the same first letter of each letter in the phrase.
G: Gallop – Gallop to the opposite end of the playing space and back. Repeat 4 times.
I: Inching to Grace – Stand with both feet together, then bend down until hands touch the ground. Slowly “walk” your hands out just an inch or two at a time until in push-up position. Inch your way back to standing position. Repeat 3 times.
V: V-Sit – Sit with legs straight, feet apart. Reach for your ankles or toes. Hold the stretch for the count of 15, repeating two times.
E: Encourage someone – Shake hands, high five, or hug at least 2 people and encourage one another by telling each person one reason you thank God for that person.
T: Tricep Dips – Sit on a chair or step with hands by your hips and feet flat on the floor. Move hips off the chair and bend elbows lowering body until elbows are at 90-degree angles. Push back up until arms are straight. Repeat 10 times.
H: Hopping High Five – While hopping on one or two feet, give everyone in the family or group a high five as quickly as possible.
A: Arm Circles – Circle arms 10 times forward and 10 times backward.
N: New Day Dance – Dance for 2 minutes straight praising Him for new mercies each day!
K: Knee Lifts – Lift right knee as high as you can 10 times, then left knee.
S: Skip – Skip one lap around the playing space (or around the whole house!).
Another Way to Play: You can rearrange this activity entirely into a relay-style game. With index cards or fall colored cards, write one letter of “GIVE THANKS” on each of the cards along with the associated activity above. You will need one set of cards per group/pair of players. Hide the cards under carpet squares, cones, or something similar, spread throughout the playing space. Pair up (or groups of 3 at the most so everyone gets substantial movement time) and take turns finding each card one at a time. Each time a child picks up a card, both partners (or all 3 players) complete the activity together. After finding all of the correct cards, the team can spell out “GIVE THANKS” correctly with the cards.
Modifications: Have your children come up with their own activities/exercises for each letter, working together as partners or a small group. If you have young children who cannot yet read the cards, pair older and younger children together.
Additional study: If you are interested, you could review a verse with each letter and exercise. For example:
- While you gallop in a circle for “G,” you can read Psalm 107:1 aloud – “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” For “E,” you can study Hebrews 3:13 – “Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today,’ so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”
- Older students (and parents!) can use some of these verses as memory verses in the upcoming weeks.
How does your family praise God through taking care of your bodies? What active ideas do you use during the holiday season?
Caroline is wife, homeschooling momma to a toddler son, writer, certified personal trainer, and former physical education teacher. She blogs at Under God’s Mighty Hand
Leave a Reply