Fitness Card Fun

Download/Print

Activity Overview

Participants practise a variety of fitness activities and learn about how participation in these activities can contribute to overall physical health.

  • Intermediate (Ages 13-15)
  • Senior (Ages 16-18)

Facility

  • Gymnasium
  • Multipurpose room
  • Outdoors

Materials and Equipment

  • Audio equipment
  • Upbeat music
  • An activity chart for the class or one copy for each group
  • Pictures of fitness activities
  • A deck of cards for each group

Safety

Inspect the activity area and eliminate potential hazards. Check that the activity surface provides safe traction. Set boundaries for the activity a safe distance from walls and obstacles. Provide a safe distance between activities.

Activity Information

Activity Set-Up

  • Divide the participants into small groups (e.g., four to six). Give each group a deck of cards.
  • Groups spread out in the designated activity area.
  • Post an activity chart that all participants are able to see or provide a copy to each group. A sample activity chart for the cards could be: 2 = 5 jumping jacks, 3 = 5 squats, 4 = 5 push-ups, 5 = 5 sit-ups… ace = free choice.
  • Post a suit location chart that all participants are able to see or provide a copy to each group. A sample suit location could be: spades = hop to the middle.
  • Use pictures to show how the fitness activity is performed.

Activity Instructions

  • One participant from each group draws a card from their deck. The groups move to a new location in the room depending on the suit of the card. Based on the value on the drawn card, participants also complete an activity, as designated on an activity chart.
  • Once the entire group completes the task, a different participant from each group draws a new card from their deck and the activity continues. Groups work together to complete as many cards as they can in the time available.
  • The leader asks open-ended questions to help participants refine their movement strategies during the activity. Examples include: What can you do to support the other participants in your group to be successful at performing the fitness activity and/or movements? Which body signs show you are working hard? What are some examples of signs that your physical fitness has improved over time? Which components of fitness are you working on with each activity?
Fitness Card Fun

Adaptations

To maximize the challenge and the fun, participants could identify their own ways to increase or decrease the challenge.

To decrease the challenge, participants could:

  • Assign an activity to each suit and have the value on the card indicate the number of repetitions (e.g., 9 of spades = 9 jumping jacks, queen of diamonds = 12 seconds of running on the spot, ace of clubs = 1 sit-up).
  • Decrease the intensity of the movement (e.g., partial squats instead of full squats, knee push ups instead of full pushups).

To increase the challenge, participants could:

  • Keep track of their heart rate as they rotate throughout the fitness activities.
  • Complete the fitness activities within a specific length of time.
  • Incorporate equipment (e.g., 7 of clubs = bounce a ball 7 times, 4 of hearts = kick a ball to a partner 4 times; jack of spades = volley a ball 11 times).
  • Increase the intensity of the movement (e.g., push ups with a clap, squats held for longer time).

Pause for Learning

Throughout the activity, consider highlighting the following skills, concepts, and strategies to complete fitness activities. Note that this list is not exhaustive, and further learning opportunities may arise during the task.

Movement Strategies

  • Appreciating one’s physical strengths and recognizing areas that need improvement (e.g., participants think about what they are doing that will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the movement)
  • Applying and demonstrating movement skills and techniques within a group (e.g., monitoring exertion levels while performing the activities)

Sport Connections

Contains aspects of:

Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines

For health benefits, children aged 5-11 and youth aged 12-17 years should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily.

For health benefits, children aged 5-11 and youth aged 12-17 years should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily.

This activity does not qualify as vigorous intensity.

Vigorous-intensity activities at least 3 days per week. This activity does not qualify as vigorous intensity.

This activity strengthens muscles and/or bones.

Activities that strengthen muscle and bone at least 3 days per week. This activity strengthens muscles and/or bones.

More daily physical activity provides greater health benefits.

More daily physical activity provides greater health benefits.