What’s inside this article: a quick review of the benefits of exercise for kids, instructions for the dinosaur themed workout, and a free printable poster with printer-friendly instruction.
One of the keys to raising kids to have healthy lifestyles is to make exercise fun! Get their bodies moving and get moving with them using this fun dinosaur themed workout for kids.
Benefits of Daily Exercise for Kids
Kids need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per day.
Vigorous means your child is tired and breathing heavy at the end of the activity.
When you’re stuck at home, or the weather isn’t great, that’s harder to achieve. It’s not always possible for our children to run and play outside freely, or to play in organized sports – as much as we all like when they can.
But daily exercise has an effect on your child’s behavior and emotional state.
Physical Benefits of Exercise:
Cognitive Benefits of Exercise:
Exercise affects the neurotransmitters in our brains which improves brain function and mood. These benefits include:
Before You Begin
Set your interval timer so you can do each move for 1 minute straight. I found a free interval timer app on my phone for this.
Get your kiddo’s favorite upbeat music on and get ready to go hard. Your child (and you! You’ve got to model what you want to see!) should be doing as many repetitions as possible each minute or holding the pose for the minute for the stretches at the end.
You actually want to be tired, breathing heavy, and heartbeat elevated at the end. The fun dinosaur themed moves make it fun for your kiddos. Bonus points in you throw in some sound effects.
Instructions
These are the instructions for each move. A printer-friendly version of the instructions is included with the free printable poster (at the bottom of the post).
Velociraptor Run
Velociraptors are known for their speed. Run in place as fast as you can for the entire minute.
Stegosaurus Walks
Stegosauruses are extremely heavy and walk on all four legs. But their back legs are longer than their front legs.
So, on your hands and feet, with your hips high (like a bear walk) walk 4 steps forward and 4 steps back.
But, try to stomp as loudly as you can at the same time so you sound like a heavy stegosaurus.
Pterodactyl Take Off
Stand with your arms spread wide like a pterodactyl’s wings and move them quickly in a circular motion then jump up and down as high as you can, like you’re trying to take off and fly like a pterodactyl.
T-Rex Run
High knees.
Bend your arms, and try to get your elbows as close to your armpits as possible, making short arms like the tyrannosaurus Rex.
Now, run or march in place lifting your knees as high as you can as if you’re trying to get your knees to touch your hands.
Compsognathus Prances
These are like skater jump.
Compsognathus was a small but fast carnivore that relied on it’s speed to catch it’s pray.
Stand with your legs hip-width apart, knees bent slightly. You’re going to jump left and right, crossing one leg behind the other as you move, prancing back and forth like a compsognathus about to prance on its prey.
Brachiosaurus Stretch
Stand up straight, feet together, and lift your arms straight over your head.
Stretch up as tall as you can, like the brachisaurus’ long neck. Get on your tippy toes and try to reach farther and farther.
How tall can you make yourself?
The Diplodocus
The diplodocus had the longest tail of all the dinosaurs, it also had a very long neck.
Start on your hands and knees. Stretch your left leg out behind you like the diplodocus’ tail, and your right arm out straight in front of you like it’s neck.
Move your leg up and down and left and right (like you’re wagging your tail). Then, switch sides so your right leg and your left arm are extended, and repeat.
Spinosaurus Stretch
This is the cool down move.
Start on your hands and knees. Draw your belly to your spine and round your back toward the ceiling. Your back should be in an arch-like shape, similar to the spines on the spinosaurus’ back.
Alternate between this pose and being neutral or curving the back, trying to elongate your spine with each rep.
And you’re done!
I hope both you and your kids had fun with these dinosaur workout!
Don’t forget to print the poster
Dinosaur Workout for KidsMore Workouts for Kids:
Did you have fun with this workout? Check out these other popular workouts for kids.