4 YouTube Channels that Make Exercise Fun for Kids
It’s afternoon, and the kids are home from school. They’ve been sitting in class all day, and now, all they want to do is sit on the couch some more and watch TV. You’re about to let it go and just let them chill. I mean, kids need to be kids, right? You spent a lot of days watching the tube back in your time. And you turned out alright!
But in the back of your mind you have that nagging feeling you sometimes get, reminding you that you know better now than you did back then. Your kids live in a world that is saturated with high sugar, high fat foods, and their generation has lower activity levels than any before them.
But what are you going to do? Switch off the TV and tell them to “run outside and play?” (Hmm…not a bad idea!) That may be the right answer some days, but if you’re not ready to endure the whining that’s about to commence (and let’s face it, some days you just can’t do it) help is on the way. Today we’re going to introduce you to four awesome YouTube channels that are chock full of fun, entertaining workouts that your kids will love doing. So get ready to be the new favorite parent. Search these babies up, put on your yoga pants, and join right in the fun. Your kids are going to love these!
Go Noodle
In searching out the most popular and well-known kid’s workout videos online, you’d have a hard time not running into Go Noodle. Founded by Scott McQuigg in 2013 after a six-month beta test with elementary school teachers, Go Noodle is now the gold standard for virtual kids workout experiences with 14 million kids tuning in at home or at school each month. Go Noodle is used in 3 out of 4 elementary schools across the country, so your kids may already be familiar with their unmistakable brand of fitness entertainment.
Using bright-colored animations and high energy real-life performances, “GoNoodle videos get kids moving to be their strongest, bravest, silliest, smartest, bestest selves. Over 14 million kids each month are dancing, stretching, running, jumping, deep breathing, and wiggling with GoNoodle.” The company prides itself on turning screen time into active time, helping kids burn off extra energy on bad weather days, calming kids down before bedtime, and enabling the whole family to exercise together. Kids love Go Noodle because their videos connect with pop culture, featuring popular music, movie characters, and even the latest dance crazes: a recent video taught kids how to do “the floss!”
Check out Go Noodle’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/GoNoodleGames/featured
Cosmic Kids
This channel is another major player in the kid’s fitness space, providing everything you could want in child-oriented workout videos. Cosmic Kids was founded in 2012 by Australians Jaime Amor and her husband, Martin. Their videos teach “yoga, mindfulness and relaxation for kids” through “interactive adventures that build strength, balance and confidence - and get kids into yoga and mindfulness early!” Jaime’s fun yoga routines are set to popular stories that kids know and love. Classics like “Alice in Wonderland” are interspersed with more modern titles like “Trolls,” “Harry Potter,” and “Star Wars” to create a collection of interactive yoga stories that engage kid’s bodies while maintaining their rapt attention and interest. Today, “more than a million kids do yoga, mindfulness and relaxation with Jaime on the Cosmic Kids YouTube channel. Parents and teachers report significant improvements in self-regulation, focus and empathy. But the videos are BRILLIANT FUN so kids love doing them!”
Visit the Cosmic Kids YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga.
Debbie Doo Kids TV
Since founding her online children’s TV channel, Debbie Doo has become a pink-haired, music-loving, worldwide phenomenon. Today, 1 million people subscribe to the Debbie Doo YouTube channel where more than 100 million viewers have watched Debbie teach kids to “move, learn, dance, sing and most importantly have FUN!” Debbie presents original music and dance moves, but she’s also passionate about sharing positive messages she feels kids need to hear. Her goal is to portray a character who children want to emulate. So far, it’s working.
Debbie Doo is most appropriate for younger children who will clearly connect with her bubbly brand of music, dance, and animation.
Get to know Debbie Doo here: https://www.youtube.com/user/DebbieDooTV/featured.
Move to Learn
Last, but certainly not least, Move to Learn represents a unique approach to movement-based learning for kids. The Move to Learn videos were created specifically as an elementary school curriculum meant for classroom use. “Move to Learn is based on a simple concept: When kids get to move at school, schools get better. Not only does student health improve, but academic performance improves, too. In fact, numerous scientific studies have confirmed that the more exercise a student gets, the better his or her grades are likely to be. And that’s not all. In several studies of Mississippi students, more fitness was associated with better behavior and less absenteeism. Move to Learn is designed to help teachers raise student fitness levels and, in turn, raise student achievement.”
With Move to Learn’s YouTube channel, you can bring this well-known grade school curriculum into your home. With songs and dances geared toward children in grades K-3 and 4-6, Move to Learn has something for everyone.
Visit Move to Learn on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/user/MovetoLearnMS/feed
So, there’s a quick overview of some of the best kid’s active channels on YouTube. What did you think of our list? Are you going to try any of these channels with your kids at home? Here’s one thing to remember: not every channel is sure to be a win for your family. Just like establishing a personal exercise program takes effort, finding the right thing for your kids will probably require some time and a little trial and error. So just jump in! You can’t really go wrong. YouTube is full of great content that can help your family achieve greater health and wellness. Give it a try!
Oh, and let us know! Where are your kids having fun while being active online? What other channels would you add to our list? What do you do to motivate your kids to stay healthy? Give us some ideas in the comments below. Happy Exercising!