Fit For Fun program living up to its name in Lisle schools
Seeing the smiles and hearing laughter emanating from a playground filled with children supports the viewpoint that exercise is fun. Jumping, running, sliding, climbing and swinging are fun. Each also benefits flexibility, stamina and strength.
Incorporating physical activity into a fun experience is how Lisle mom Trish Cooke envisioned the "Fit For Fun" program. As a member of Steeple Run Elementary School's Wellness and Nutrition Committee, Cooke - along with Sarah Biuso of Lisle and Kristin Newell of Naperville - organized the after-school club so kids could try different things, stay active and be with friends.
"F3 is an innovative program that parents helped to initiate and now works in partnership with our PE teacher," Principal Karen Currier said. "There is so much interest in the program, and the kids absolutely love it."
Fit For Fun meets in five- and six-week sessions three times during the school year. Students choose to come to the free after-school program.
When the bell sounds to dismiss school for the day, kids flood into the Naperville Unit District 203 school's gym and divide into assigned groups.
On a recent Wednesday, the 25 red team members assigned rock-wall activities cheered. The popular rock-climbing wall dominates the school's large carpeted gym. Each student dons a harness that is attached to a belay rope anchored by a parent volunteer. There are five such stations.
"The challenge is to see how high up you can climb, to challenge yourself," physical education teacher Kyle Mitchell said. "Each rope is a different difficulty from easy progressing to the hardest."
Students in third, fourth and fifth grades may climb with the rope to the top. Students in second, first and kindergarten classes ramble across the wall from left to right keeping within the lower half of the wall.
Mitchell considers himself lucky to have a rock-climbing wall for his students.
On the other half of the gym, an obstacle course is set up to challenge students to scoot backward on a square rolling board, crawl through hoops, roll over a mat and jump on a mini-trampoline.
Down the hall in a large classroom, fourth- and fifth-graders do jumping jacks counting down the alphabet as part of F3's boot camp. Kids march, squat, kick and punch air in unison while a physical trainer calls the action. Everyone is energized. Everyone is involved. A few giggle.
In the library, the dance revolution uses dance mats to encourage students to tap certain squares in a given sequence set to music. In another room, fine motor skills are enhanced by stacking cups.
In October, the school's outdoor areas allowed close to 300 students to participate. Teams selected kickball, soccer or flag football.
Inside kids were jumping rope while parent volunteers turned the rope. With a super long rope, kids took on the challenge to see how many could jump in. Six kids could do it, but when nine kids entered the mix only a few revolutions were possible.
On individual ropes, some jumpers displayed fancy footwork while others managed to jump spinning the rope backward.
Smiles and laughter signaled a high exercise-to-fun ratio at all activities.
"We hope F3 gives kids an eye opener to different kinds of physical exercise," Currier said. "At one time, physical education was about competitive sports, but this (program) is about setting your own personal goals, doing things you enjoy and offering a nice variety that meets that need, too."
Currier called the program "innovative."
"Right now at Steeple Run, we are celebrating Heart Healthy Month and its about getting kids physically active and helping them learn that physical activity can be an enjoyable part of their lives for the rest of their lives," she said.
Students at the school have physical education twice a week during the school day. Through a variety of activities, the PE classes currently focus on the heart, taking heart rates, learning the heart is one of the most important muscles in our body and how exercise can make the heart strong.
"There is a large emphasis now on active kids and wellness," Cooke said. "We make the program fun in a noncompetitive way."
There will be one more session this school year in the spring. Parents should watch for the spring Fit For Fun signup sheet.
"We are lucky to have so many parents volunteer that show their support," Cooke said. "(The parents) have a good time, too, because they get to interact with the kids and see their kids try different activities."
Approximately 30 to 40 parents volunteer to help at each session.
"From an educational standpoint, we talk about getting our parents involved in our schools and this is a big time when parents come to help and like helping," Currier said. "Parents get involved and work side-by-side with their kids, which is another benefit."
Fit For Fun has found a lively way to benefit several generations.
• Joan Broz writes about Lisle. E-mail her at jgbroz@yahoo.com.