A LOCAL PE teacher is using viral videos to keep kids fit across the borough – and his idea has even made it as far as Singapore.
Chris Wood, 34, usually offers his services at primary schools across Barnsley but due to children having to self-isolate, he’s had to think of new ways to keep them active.
He said: “We’re posting daily challenges for the kids on our social media pages and then activities that the whole family can get involved with every other day.
“We’ve had a great response from everyone involved, even the teachers at the schools I visit have been joining in to keep fit.
“Our main aim is to keep people fit because obviously, if they’re stuck at home, they won’t be doing as much exercise as they should be.”
All of the activities that Chris does are posted on the Primary Sports Coaching social media pages, and have reached people well outside the borough.
“We’ve had people sending in videos from London, Singapore, and a school in New York sent a video of them doing our workout just last week,” he told the Chronicle.
“We make sure that everyone has the ability to do the exercise they need, understandably not everyone has balls in their house they can use, but everyone has a pair of socks.
“By ensuring that everyone can get involved in what’s going on, the fitness of the kids we usually work will be maintained.”
The campaign was set up as Chris feels that, despite there being other keep fit mentors online, the education behind PE isn’t at the forefront of people’s minds.
“I’ve seen a lot of people doing Joe Wicks’ daily activities, and obviously that’s great, but it’s really missing out on the education side of things,” Chris added.
“We’re trying to get the kids to work on their fundamental movements, and by doing so they’re able to achieve the ultimate goal of a healthy body, in turn leading to a healthy mind.”
