Frugal Living

It may seem daunting to teach your children the many subjects that are required to give your child a well-rounded education. If you were anything like me then you dreaded PE class but Homeschool PE doesn’t have to be a miserable experience for your child, family, or yourself. We add to our homeschool PE items each year during garage sale season or end of season sales.

Jump Romp– Never underestimate the advantages of a simple rope. Princess has allows loved to jump rope and last Summer she actually took a class. She got a professional jump rope that was sized to her. She then went for two days a week to an hour long class for 4 weeks. She learned all sorts of moves. If she wasn’t so in love with ballet she could have tried out for the competitive jump roping team!

Balls (Soccer, Basketball, Hopper Balls or Exercise Ball)– I used to be big into coupons and rewards offers which allowed us to send away for 12 soccer balls one year! Yes, we gave most of them away but kept two for our family. When the kids showed some interest in basketball and all of hubby’s basketballs were wearing out he went and bought them anew one for around $12. The hopper balls are those kind with a handle that you sit and bounce across the room on. I found an incredible deal on Amazon a few years ago and bought bigger ones that go to 300 pounds! We also own a weighted grey exercise ball that can be good for core strength training or for little ones to push around the house.

Roller Skates– I never owned a pair of roller skates since we lived 30 minutes away from a skating rink when I was growing up. Since we live in town and have relatively flat sidwalks my kids each own a pair of skates. We have bought them from garage sales for $3 to $20 except for the pair we found in a free box! So for the fraction of a brand new pair of skates of the price to rent a pair one time we have bought skates for all of our children!

Skateboard– My husband kept the two board he owned growing up. Then when Eldest and Princess were 5 years and 7 years old a local department store sold shirts with small skateboards attached. We waited until the shirts went on sale and picked up these smaller skatebords perfect for preschool and young elementary school kids. Then a couple of years ago we found a brand new one for $5 that was advertising Mountain Dew! Our town also has a skatepark which we have taken advantage of a few times while most kids are still in school.
Scooter or Bikes– Scooters and bikes are another great hand-me-down item or an item easily found at garage sales. We have only bought one bike so far at full price. Most of the bikes we have cost $10 or less. I earned money in junior high for the bike that I could ride once new tires and the chain is oiled. Hubby has a banana seat bike and two other bikes from his youth. He is even repairing his metal tricycle for Lil’ Red to ride!

Balance Beam– We made one from a landscaping timber and it sits on the ground for younger children. Older children prefer a more challenging PE experience and have created a parkour setting. We also have a brick bridge the children made from free bricks that were set out from a local construction company.
Hula Hoops– Another classic PE item that has tons of uses. Don’r worry about actually keeping the hoop on your hips. You can lay it down on the floor for kids to hop in and out of. You can hold it in the air to toss something through. You can use it as part of an obstacle course.

 

Exercise Bands, Running Belt and a Yoga Mat- Totally fun things to have. I am hoping to get the exercise loops that are circular to play some cooperative games. We got a set for review and they are great for strength training and resistance with adult supervision. You don’t want young muscles to work too hard or tear. The Yoga mat is helpful to offer a designated surface for exercises like floor stretches and yoga. The running belt is a great way for Eldest to keep his Dexcom and phone with him at all times and still be able to be active!

Tennis Rackets- – Our local homeschool does a gym day and sometimes teaches a particular skill or sport. One time we learned about tennis which Princess was very good at. We went to our local Salvation Army store and found rackets for under $2! She then took a Summer class similar to the jump roping class and loved it.
Bocce Ball or Croquet- We picked up a Bocce Ball set up from Walmart on clearance for $8. Who doesn’t love to play a game more of chance then skill at times? We have only played a few times and usually use our neighbors flatter yard to make it easier for the kids. We found a Croquet set for $5 at a garage sale down the street from my parents. It’s just like the set my grandparents had- total score.

So you can see if you dig around at a thrift store, look in your friends garage sale or just keep your eyes open you will be able to find some frugal solutions to Homeschool PE. I hope this gives you some ideas to help make homeschool PE a little less daunting!

Looking for more Back to School ideas? Be sure to check out all the other posts in this months Top 10 Back to School blog hop:

Top 10 School Bus Crafts from Craftulate

Top 10 Readiness Activities for Your Kindergartener Our Good Life

Top 10 1st Day of School Keepsakes from Artsy Momma

Top 10 After School Snacks from Nemcsok Farms

Top 10 DIY School Supplies Projects from Crafty Kids at Home

Top 10 Homeschool Room Essentials from School Time Snippets

Top 10 Back to School Ideas to Calm an Anxious Child from Lemon Lime Adventures

Top 10 Back to School Sensory Play Ideas from Project Sensory

Top 10 Nature Study Supplies from Rhythms of Play

Top 10 Powerful Affirmations to Make Confident School Kids from Witty Hoots

Top 10 Back to School Math Activities for Kids – Little Bins for Little Hands

Top 10 Back to School Apple Crafts and Activities from Play & Learn Everyday

Top 10 Learning Supplies for Preschool from Mom Inspired Life

Top 10 Back to School Science Activities at Preschool Powol Packets

Top 10 Back To School Printables from The Pleasantest Thing

Top 10 Tips for a Stress Free Back To School Organization from Words n Needles

Disclosure: As part of the Tomoson blog program, I received a complimentary product for review. All opinions are my own.Affiliate links are used to reference products that we own.