These fun and creative movement ideas will help kids build a strong core while getting in the spirit of this spooky season!
Finding creative ways to incorporate core strengthening and movement into virtual or in-person sessions can be a challenge. No kid wants to be asked to do crunches or hold a plank.
BUT…if you make it fun, almost any kid will jump on board in a second!
We have already snuck in some creative core exercises with our QR codes in our Core Strengthening Exercise Program that give kids a sense of control and a little taste of technology. We’ve also made some really creative body bridges and a whole list of ideas to help kids build a strong core using only a playground ball!
As I was putting out some Halloween decor last weekend, I was inspired to use some spooky friends to spur some movement and, more importantly, build a strong core!
Looking for the ultimate guide to improving your child’s core strength? Check out our comprehensive list of activities, resources and printables.
And if you’re looking for even more Halloween fun, try these Halloween Would You Rather Questions!
Halloween Movement Activities for Building a Strong Core
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Print the cards, laminate them, and cut them out. Have kids choose them from a container and perform the movements on each one!
Scroll down to see all of the movements, including variations for virtual sessions and a digital spinner with the images from the cards!Halloween Core Strengthening Moves
The Pumpkin
Have your child roll their body into a tight ball by hugging their knees into their chest. Ask them to roll gently left and right, forward and backward without falling over! After they have done this a few times, let them go wild! They can roll all the way around the room as long as they don’t let go of those legs!! Bonus points for making a silly pumpkin face as they go.
The Mummy
This one can be as creative as you want but I think it would be super fun to roll a few lengths of toilet paper around a kiddo’s body to make it all the more real! Once you are prepped, have your mummy make a body bridge (a plank, a table top, or even hold all fours). See if they can hold it while you spell the word M-U-M-M-Y.
The Frankenstein
To mimic this creepy dude, have a child maintain tall kneeling with their arms straight out in front of them. Then, they can try knee walking while maintaining that tall position and their arms out straight. Forward, backward, side to side. This is major core stabilization! Try it for yourself and see!
The Skeleton
Do a skeleton dance! Have a child hold a ball above his head while he boogies to some music. We would recommend The Skeleton Dance for tons of wiggles and giggles!
The Ghost
Ghosts fly swiftly through the sky. Have a child on the floor on her belly and when you say “fly ghosts, fly” she will lift her arms and legs up off of the floor with her head held high to say “boo”!
The Bat
How do bats sleep? Upside down of course! Have your kiddo stand tall with his feet together. As he bends at the waist, he will walk his hands forward and away from his feet. Once he gets to a “V” position and looks like an upside down bat, he will hold for a count of 5, walk his hands back to his feet and stand up.
The Spider
Be a spider on all fours (bear plank) scampering quickly in all directions or flip that spider over (like a crab) and move a little slower and with a little more control.
The Black Cat
While on all fours, ask the child to arch their back up high while looking down toward the floor. This stretch will feel so good after all of that work to build a strong core but is also a good core activator! Counter this movement with the “sleepy black cat” and have kids drop their belly to the floor as they look up to the ceiling.
For Virtual Sessions
Print and laminate the movement cards. Pull them out of a container one at a time and have kids complete each of the movements. You can also use the online spinner to choose which movement the child should complete. When the spinner lands on the picture, read the corresponding movement instructions from the card.
Halloween Interactive Movement Game
Check out our Halloween Interactive Movement Game! It incorporates all of these movements into a fun and exciting Halloween story with movement challenges!
Kids will love clicking through the interactive elements on each page to complete the different Halloween themed movements!
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE!
