Winter is here! With the days shorter and the recess colder, even the best of us [or our students] can get a little blue. Did you know that “more than one in five boys and one in three girls report feeling depressed or low at least once or more on a weekly basis?”[i] Luckily, moving more and...
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Goodbye 2016, hello 2017...well almost. There’s something about a fresh start that sparks energy and ponder (for the sceptic in us). Thoughts of starting something new, grand and perhaps out of reach, have been conveniently excused with the words “I’ll do it next year”. And now, with 2017 just days...
Thursday, September 22, 2016
It’s a new school year and you’re feeling refreshed, but like any other September, back to school stress triggers are close at hand. Between prep work, extracurricular activities, spending time with family and friends, and personal hobbies it can be hard to keep up.
So what can you do to keep...
Thursday, September 15, 2016
A new school year means a fresh opportunity to get students moving and inspire physical activity in all areas of school. Research has shown connections between increased levels of physical activity and better academic achievement, better concentration, better classroom behaviour, and more focused...
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Summer is coming to a close, which means school is fast approaching. There are plenty of healthy, stress-free ways to enjoy the remaining days of the season and prepare for the upcoming school year. We have a few suggestions:
Gather up some friends and family for an end-of-summer picnic at one of...
With warm weather here to stay, it’s the perfect opportunity to add some fun and play into your everyday activities. Here are three new ways you can use your favourite Ophea 50 Fitness Activity Cards.
Beanbag Balance
Adapted from Ophea’s workshop DPA: Getting Active in Any Space
Participants move...
Dance is a fun and engaging way to get students active. It plays an important part of a balanced Physical Education curriculum because it lets students experience cultures from around the world, work in groups with others to achieve different types of ‘challenges’ (e.g. creating a dance), learn...
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Rewards can be an effective way to encourage positive student behaviour in the classroom and around the school. When enforcing or revisiting desired behaviours, small rewards can often help students establish the activity and encourage maintenance of the new behaviour, with self-motivation...
Turn that winter frown upside-down with these 5 tips to support winter wellbeing:
1.Try a winter activity you’ve never done before.Snow shoeing, skiing, winter hiking, and more! There are plenty of fun winter activities to try throughout the colder months. Add some excitement to your next winter...
The holiday season is here! This time of the year can be busy, stressful and down-right hectic. We forget to cherish the joys the holidays bring us; the muted alarm clocks, warm slippers, smiles and memories shared. Most often, in the midst of busy schedules, we neglect to focus on personal well-...
