Sheltering at home during the COVID-19 pandemic means fewer opportunities for kids burn off their boundless energy. Here are some great classes and videos to help kids exercise during school closures and stay-at-home orders. Is your favorite activity not on the list? Send your tips to [email protected].
San Jose Dance Theatre Master Classes
San Jose Dance Theatre, which is launching a new professional ballet company, is offering a series of free online master classes for the community. The next classes are being offered Fri., May 22 and 29 at 4:45 p.m., featuring Joseph Gatti, the artistic director of the United Ballet Theatre, and Ask La Cour, a principal dancer with New York City Ballet. Sign up here.
Junior Giants
Missing baseball? The San Francisco Giants are kicking off Junior Giants at Home, a free four-week virtual season from May 11-June 6. Kids ages 5-18 can participate in live, age-specific training sessions twice a week. There will also be skills and drills videos from Giants Manager Gabe Kapler, as well as 25-35 minute team-style sessions that focus on physical activity and nutrition, baseball skills and drills, reading, character development and bullying prevention. Sign up at jrgiantsathome.org.
Kids Yoga
If your child has previously taken a kids yoga class in the Bay Area, be sure to check whether the school or instructor is offering online classes while businesses and community centers are shut down. Danika Rose Morrow, who teaches yoga to kids in Berkeley, is among the local professionals who are live streaming classes for kids and families on Zoom or social media. FInd Danika’s class schedule on Facebook Live. Like many small businesses, income for fitnesses professionals has come to a halt, and donations from people taking their virtual classes are much appreciated.
UNICEF USA has launched UNICEF Kid Power, with dance and yoga videos to keep kids active, and other lessons addressing social emotional skills and helping others. Students work toward goals to unlock therapeutic food packets that UNICEF delivers to a child in need.
Check out Fit4Mom SF Peninsula’s Facebook for parent-kid workout videos and upcoming online class schedule; they will be live streaming a Bedtime Yoga class for families on March 22.
Families with young children rave about Cosmic Kids Yoga, which uses colorful backgrounds and popular children’s stories to help keep kids engaged. Find workouts lasting under 15 minutes and longer on its YouTube page.
Movelee uses a cute animated monkey to lead toddlers through short workouts.
Virtual Dance Classes
Alonzo King Lines Ballet in San Francisco is offering Free Family Fridays for grades K-2, 3-5 and 6-8, as well as other free resources and paid online classes.
East Bay instructor Yov Artista of A-R-T-I-S-T-A Performing Arts is live streaming classes in Spanish on Facebook Live.
Also check out Marin County pro Maggie Calegari of M3 Mindful Movement with Maggie’s live classes for kids and parents, advertised on her Facebook page and streamed through Zoom.
Take an “absolute beginner” class with Berkeley Ballet Theater on Facebook.
Virtual Dance Party
For lots of silly dance and exercise fun, check out the videos on Go Noodle’s You Tube page. Explore the Go Noodle website for other activities and games.
One of Go Noodles’ regular featured artists is Koo Koo Kanga Roo, whose clever and hilarious music videos are fun for all ages.
Older kids love to move to family-friendly versions of today’s pop hits with Kidz Bop Dance Along.
Mark Kanemura, a former backup dancer for Lady Gaga, is hosting virtual dance parties on Instagram Live.
Virtual Gymnastics
Gyminny Kids, based out of Southern California, is live streaming gymnastics, dancing and art classes and storytimes on social channels and adds new content daily to its virtual classroom and YouTube channel.
Martial Arts
Several local martial arts programs for kids are going online as well. Omulu Capoeira-San Francisco, which teaches the Afro-Brazlian martial art that blends dance and acrobatic, is streaming classes for adults and kids for a small fee.
Active games
Sick of screen time? When it comes to active play within the house, the possibilities are endless. Crawl on the floor like your favorite animals. Have a jumping jack contest. Use masking tape to draw a triangle, circle, square and rectangle on the floor and have your kids jump from shape to shape. Musical chairs, anyone?