High schooler’s can be finicky on fitness, and typically have to buy-in to the activity for them to participate. I brought our Fit N Fun Bootcamp Edition Board Game in to a freshman gym class at Hudson High School on 11/17/23. The gym teacher was excellent, and had prepared the class for the game to be a success. She told her students that I would be coming, and that they would be the first class to try it. They were all-in and ready to give feedback! They gym teacher warned me that I still might get push-back, and have kids not willing to participate.
Fit N Fun Story
Gym class started with me explaining the story behind how we created our game. I explained how we first drew it on poster board and were playing it with our kids for their gym credits during Covid. After things opened up, we invited different friends to play, and EVERYBODY LOVED it. Next, I called the SBDC (Small Business Development Center) at UW-River Falls and scheduled a consultation. My rep thought it was a unique idea, and that we should proceed (and she very seldom tells people they have a viable business idea). She then gave us step-by-step instructions to help move our idea forward. I am a teacher and Sherry is a hair stylist, so starting a business was foreign to us. To prevent us from getting overwhelmed, our rep gave us to-do’s in order. The first step was to enlist more people to try our game and give feedback before producing a game board template.
The gym class at HHS loved hearing how two local women with no business experience brought this game to life. I explained that any of them could go to the SBDC with an idea, and get feedback and advice. Next, I explained how to play the game. Again, the gym teacher’s advice was perfect. She suggested I let each group decide on their own exercise to complete if they lost at a Challenge Card. I gave some suggestions, but let them choose their own exercise.
Challenge Card Options
- Run Around the Gym
- Complete 10 Burpees
- Complete 10 Jumping Jacks
- Do 10 Sit-ups
- Do 10-Push-ups
Three of the four groups chose to run around the gym, and the fourth group chose “Killers” where you sprint back and forth with the various lines on the gym floor. This exercise is much more difficult than the options I gave. I loved that they actually chose a more challenging exercise. Each group also set up their own game board and chose their team mate and groups. Allowing kids this age to make their own decisions goes along way to them buying in to a workout. Teachers tend to love that the cards tell kids what exercise to perform, rather than the gym teacher telling kids to complete an exercise.
Student Gym Fitness Game
School Gym Fitness Game
The high school students didn’t have time to complete an entire round of the game, but got a great workout in 30 minutes. It was fun to see some of their adaptations for exercises that use weights (this gym class didn’t have hand weights available). One group did helicopters around the gym for the lateral raise challenge. Another group asked me to supervise the “eyes closed balance on one leg challenge” to ensure no one cheated. Out of the 21 students, there were only two who really didn’t participate fully in the workout.
Student Feedback
At the end of the workout, the gym teacher asked the students to give me feedback. There was one negative comment from a student that she had been sick for the last ten days, and this wasn’t helping (she was one of the two who didn’t really participate). Then another girl raised her hand and commented that this game/workout was super fun. I then got a lot of cheering and clapping for the game. I asked if it would be okay to take a group photo with the game box? The gym teacher said yes, and that any student who wished could opt out of the photo. All 21 students were in the photo, and I was able to use it on our social media, but not on the website (without getting individual permission slips from each parent signed). The photo shown is where the 21 students posed, and 3 of them even jumped up and sat on the tall ledge you see — wow!
Getting Fit N Fun Games into schools is my new mission. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting this gym class, telling my story and witnessing the kids getting a great workout (and enjoying it). If you have a school gym class you would like me to visit, whether in-person or via zoom, comment below or PM me. I would LOVE to come visit your school!
Hugs & Health – Michelle
**Disclaimer: Please always consult your physician before beginning this or any exercise program.
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