Fitness Bingo for Kids: A School Holiday Card That Works

Six weeks of summer, a week at Easter, a week every half term. School holidays are long, and screens are always one tap away. When parents in my classes ask me how to keep their kids moving without nagging, one of my favourite answers is fitness bingo for kids. It is a simple card of 16 or 25 squares, each one an active challenge, and children love crossing things off far more than they love being told to “go outside”.

I have been coaching families in Archway for over 10 years, and the best ideas are always the ones that run themselves. This one does.

How fitness bingo for kids works

You draw a grid, usually 4 by 4 for younger children and 5 by 5 for older ones. Each square holds one activity. When your child does it, they colour the square in or stick a sticker on it. A full line earns a small prize. A full card earns a bigger one.

The key difference from a normal workout plan is that your child chooses the order. That bit of control is what keeps them coming back to it.

Making the card

1. Draw a grid on A4 paper, or make one on the computer and print a few copies.
2. Fill each square with one challenge. Mix quick ones (10 star jumps) with bigger ones (walk to the park).
3. Put a “free square” in the middle, like normal bingo. Kids love a freebie.
4. Stick it on the fridge with a pen tied to it on a string, so it never goes missing.
5. Agree the prizes before you start, so there are no arguments later.

25 square ideas for a holiday bingo card

Pick the ones that suit your child and your home. Mix indoor and outdoor so the card still works when it rains.

Quick home challenges

• 20 star jumps
• Hold a plank while you count to 20
• 10 squats while brushing your teeth (well, just after)
• Balance on one leg for a whole song
• Dance to three songs in a row
• Do 10 frog jumps down the hallway
• Skip with a rope 20 times, or pretend rope if you have none
• Do a 5-minute stretch with a grown-up

Out and about

• Walk to the shops instead of getting the bus
• Climb to the top of a climbing frame
• Run a race against a grown-up
• Kick a ball 50 times against a wall
• Find five different leaves on a walk
• Go down a slide ten times
• Ride a bike or scooter for 20 minutes
• Walk up every step in a hill park

Bigger family missions

• A family walk of at least 30 minutes
• Go swimming
• Teach a grown-up a game from school
• Make up your own workout and lead the family
• Visit a park you have never been to
• Have a family sports day in the garden or park
• Do a “screen-free” morning full of play
• Help with an active chore, like carrying shopping or hoovering
• Free square

If you live near us in North London, the guide to half-term activities for active kids has plenty of real places to tick off the “out and about” squares.

Prizes that are not sweets

I am not against the odd treat, but if every bit of exercise is rewarded with chocolate, kids learn that moving is the hard thing and sugar is the good thing. I would rather they learn that moving earns more fun. Here are prizes that work well:

• Choose the film for family movie night.
• Stay up 15 minutes later on a Friday.
• Pick dinner one night (within reason).
• A trip of their choice: the city farm, a new park, the swimming pool.
• Be the boss of a family game and choose all the rules.
• A small new kit item: a skipping rope, a new ball, chalk for hopscotch.
• A one-to-one hour with a parent, doing whatever they choose. For a lot of children, this is the prize they want most.

For a full line, use a small prize. For a full card, use a bigger one, like the trip out.

Making it work for different ages

• Under 5s: use pictures instead of words and keep the grid to 3 by 3. Celebrate every square.
• 5 to 8: a 4 by 4 grid with mostly short challenges. Let them draw the pictures.
• 9 to 12: 5 by 5, with some harder squares like “run for 10 minutes without stopping”.
• Teenagers: let them design the card. Put a few challenges on it for you, too. Fair is fair.

Siblings can each have their own card, or you can share one family card and work as a team. Team cards are great when one child is much younger, because nobody gets left behind. For another way to make a challenge feel like a game, try the family step challenge or roll the dice with an exercise dice game on rainy days.

Where a bootcamp class fits

Here is something I notice every holiday. Parents work incredibly hard to keep the kids busy, and their own exercise disappears for six weeks. By September, they feel flat, stiff and tired.

So put a square on the card for yourself. Seriously. “Grown-up goes to a class” is a perfectly good bingo square, and it shows your kids that adults move too. My SYP Release stress relief class is ideal in the middle of the holidays, with pads and slam balls to get rid of all the “Mum, I’m bored” frustration in 45 minutes.

FAQs

How many squares should a fitness bingo card have?

A 3 by 3 card (9 squares) is right for toddlers, 4 by 4 (16 squares) suits most primary school children, and 5 by 5 (25 squares) works for older kids over a long holiday.

How long should one card last?

For half term, one card for the week works well. For the summer holidays, a new card every one or two weeks keeps it fresh.

What if my child only picks the easy squares?

That is fine at first. Make sure each line includes at least one bigger challenge, so finishing a line means doing something harder.

Can schools or clubs use fitness bingo?

Yes, it works well for groups. Each child gets a card and you can track progress on a big chart on the wall.

Book your first class

Want to tick off your own square this holiday? SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes in Archway N19, indoors in a church hall, with a maximum of 10 people and options for every fitness level. Each class is £15. Book my £15 class or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215, and I will send you the timetable. If you would like a plan built just for you, find out about private personal training in Archway.

About the author

Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.