Summer Boredom? Try These Movement Ideas for Every Age

🏃 What if the secret to student engagement this summer was free, fun, and made by a P.E. teacher with nearly 15 million views?

In Part 2 of my Schoolutions conversation with @CoachGelardi⁩ (The PhysEdZone), we get completely practical. Tom gives age-by-age movement tips for summer, shares exactly which videos to start with, and explains why co-creating movement WITH kids, not just directing them, is the real driver of student motivation and active learning.

🎯 You'll Learn:
• How the PhysEdZone YouTube channel was born on a rainy day and a bake sale
• Why Tom's videos work as mentor texts for new teachers and instructional coaching
• Age-based tips: Pre-K–3rd (dance fitness workouts) vs. upper elementary–high school (70 at-home PE activities)
• The sock ball basketball game that teaches abdominal strength AND accuracy
• How student participation in choosing songs and moves is the co-creation model that keeps kids coming back
• Why giving kids a score to beat is one of the most powerful tools for inspiring students

💫Make sure to watch Part 1 & check out some of the resources mentioned:
➡️The PhysEdZone (Tom's YouTube channel)
⭐Witch Doctor workout (dance fitness)
⭐Dance Monkey workout (dance fitness)
⭐At-Home P.E. series with 70 videos made during the COVID lockdown
➡️Coach Gelardi's TikTok
➡️Coach Gelardi's Instagram

⏱️ Chapters:
0:00 Welcome back — Part 2 intro
1:00 Recap: what we covered in Part 1
2:00 How the PhysEdZone YouTube channel began
3:30 The rainy-day bake sale origin story
5:00 Using Tom's videos as mentor texts for new teachers
7:00 Why Tom started his TikTok for P.E. tips
8:00 Inspiring future P.E. teachers through social media
9:00 Co-creation and why creativity follows mastery
10:30 Building a library of movement content
11:30 Best videos to start with this summer
12:00 Age-based tips: Pre-K through 3rd grade
12:45 Age-based tips: Upper elementary through high school
13:00 The at-home P.E. series with 70 household-item activities
13:30 Sock ball basketball breakdown
14:00 Why competition keeps kids coming back for more
15:00 Closing thoughts and thank-you
16:00 Outro: Movement is joy
16:30 Coming up next: Wendy Ward Hoffer on summer math

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🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl

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Next week's episode: Wendy Ward Hoffer, author of All Minds on Mathematics, makes the case that summer is the most underused math classroom we have. The kitchen, the car, and the dinner table are all you need.

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When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.

Transcript

Olivia: [00:00:00] Welcome back for part two of my conversation with Coach Tom Gelardi. If you haven't listened to part one, pause right now, go back, and then come meet us here. In part two, we're getting very practical. Tom is breaking down his best tips for keeping kids moving this summer by age group, from pre-K all the way through high school. He shares the specific videos on his PhysEdZone channel that families should start with, and he talks about why co-creating movement with kids is the secret ingredient that makes them actually wanna come back for more. 

This is Schoolutions, the podcast that extends education beyond the classroom, a show that isn't just theory, but practical, try-it-tomorrow approaches for educators and caregivers to ensure every student finds their spark and receives the support they need to thrive. Welcome [00:01:00] back listeners to part two of my conversation with the amazing Tom Gelardi. Uh, Tom, we started in part one where you were sharing nuances of, you know, what makes being a P.E. teacher is, in a school challenging, amazing, inspiring, all rolled into one basketball of goodness. Uh, we also talked a lot about the multifaceted role you play in a school system.

Um, it's not just about developing skills around sports and movement, it's really character development as well. Uh, so part two, we're going to talk about your YouTube channel. It is a phenomenon. We're also going to speak a little bit to your TikTok because it's so important that we have mentors. There's actually a lot of research – Stiggins’s Research says that kids need to see good models and bad models in order to understand what they need to look and feel like in [00:02:00] a sport or in anything they're doing. So let's start off, let's talk YouTube channel, or I'm going to say your YouTube empire. Let's go with that. 

Tom: I like that. 

Olivia: Um, how did it all begin with a bake sale, Tom?

Tom: Well, I will say back in 2018- Mm-hmm ... I remember there was a bake sale and my-- and it happened to be a rainy day, so the only option was to go into the classroom. And they had a SMART Board there, and we were allowed to go on YouTube. So, um, as I was setting up my equipment to start the lesson, I'm like: Why don't I put something on YouTube to get them moving while I'm setting up?

And I happened to find a follow-along dance video, and my kids got up from their seat and they followed along. And I looked at the screen and I looked at the kids and I thought to myself, like, "I can do this." And if there's any P.E. teacher out there that thinks the same way, do it, because it has completely changed me as a, as a professional because it [00:03:00] inspired me. And, um, what I s- I remember my first dance workout I did in, uh, it was on a Friday. I practiced it a few times with my students, so I, we knew I knew the moves. And I took my speaker and I took my tripod and I just blasted the music into my iPad because I didn't, I didn't know how to... I didn't really know much about technology.

And I just clicked play and I did my movement. And then I hit, uh, stop and I put it on my own YouTube channel. Didn't think, didn't know what to call it. I gave it some time and like, then I, um, like, I'm gonna go with The PhysEdZone, uh, by Coach Gelardi. And I remember playing it for the first time in front of the kids and they were, to my delight, they saw my face up there. They're like: "Is that our gym? What's going on?" And once they recognized it was me and it was the gym, they paused and then they started dancing to it. And the teacher took a [00:04:00] picture and I looked at it, thought to myself, "I'm onto something here." So then that was it. That's really how The PhysEdZone started.

I started making a dance video, uh, once a month and as a, as a possible brain break if I ever was in the classroom or to, for the teachers to use. And that's what I, kinda like how it started. And then when COVID hit, hit back in 2020, I had already had about 25 dance videos that I knew worked well in my school, so I decided to share it on social media to the P.E. world. And that's where I was just amazed on how my views went from thousands to ten thousands of views and how teachers from all around the country were just thanking me for coming up with ways to get them to move. And the fact that the background is a school gymnasium, so it makes the kids- 

Olivia: It's everything.

Tom: feel like they're back at school. And it's not just computerized, it's the P.E. teacher. And, uh, and that's, that's [00:05:00] kinda how it started and, and I haven't looked back since. 

Olivia: It's so wonderful, and I think it is an inspiration. And again, it serves as a model. So how do you see that newer P.E. teachers, you and I were talking, uh, before we started recording part two about, you know, there is a generation of teachers that missed out on student teaching during COVID. They were- they just jumped right into the classroom because teachers were so desperately needed. How could people use your TikTok channel, your YouTube videos as mentor texts? 

Tom: Listen, my, my wife's a P.E. teacher, and she was struggling as well at that part- particular time. And, um, we both had student teachers, and we realized we, we were mentoring them through the computer screen. We, we weren't in front of children during that time, and there's not a whole lot of learning going on there. And now they have this degree, and they're applying [00:06:00] for a position, and they're getting into a class, and they're struggling. And the thing is, when they struggle and struggle, they're very quick sometimes to say, "Well, it's the students. It's the particular school I'm at. It's this, it's that." But in reality, it's their own ability that they're not even aware of, that they're not very, very good unfortunately, because they haven't really been mentored correctly. And they're very quick to blame the kids, and then it, it just, it becomes just learning and growing doesn't happen quick enough.

So I decided to share videos. I use TikTok and Instagram as my platform to show basic tips and tricks to help future, and possibly convince teachers to get into the profession, on all the tips that I've learned throughout the way. And it could be something very simple as like you have a whistle around your neck, that's fine. It's best it be plastic, because if it's a metal whistle and you're trying to do a jumping jack and that whistle- 

Olivia: Good [00:07:00] luck ... 

Tom: flicks into your face, you're gonna chip your tooth. Yeah. Plastic's the way to go. Give it a try. And I remember my wife saying, uh, you know, "Uh, wait, what are you doing with this video?" And I'm like, "I'm just gonna, I'm just gonna keep doing it." And I just thought of any possible tip, as simple or as complex as it is, I'm just gonna share it. And whoever feels like it's helpful, so be it. 

Olivia: Yeah. 

Tom: And fortunately- 

Olivia: I love it ... 

Tom: enough for me, I was able to hit a lot of young teachers and, and even people that have...I didn't expect this. I knew I was gonna help the new teachers coming in, but there were a lot of confused juniors and seniors in high school that don't exactly know where they wanted to go in their profession. They like being around children, they like being active, but didn't really have direction. And now they see Coach Gelardi with all this energy and showing basic tips and different ways to move with kids. I haven't- and I inspired them. I've, I've gotten emails from students from high school that said, "Coach [00:08:00] Gelardi, I'm gonna, I'm gonna go into physical education. I love your energy, and I think this is for me." And it just inspires me to continue to make videos and to continue to help. And so it's really been just a wonderful, wonderful thing.

Olivia: It has. Why is the idea of co-creation also vital for you? So you do a lot of the work with kids. Why is that important to you? 

Tom: To be creative and, and, and create, uh, new content is what you're referring to? 

Olivia: Yeah. I love it.

Tom: I think it kind of just happens. I think if you really care deeply about what you do and the fact that you're working with children, you're only gonna get better as a professional. Mm-hmm. When COVID happened in 2020, it was almost like a perfect storm professionally. I had already been teaching almost 15 years, and I'm not talking teaching the same thing every year. I've looked to grow and learn year after year. And when you do that, you do start to master areas of teaching. 

Olivia: Right. [00:09:00] 

Tom:  So classroom management, time management, questioning, how I'm gonna start, end the class. I have mastered that. It doesn't matter how many kids are in the gym. And when you master certain areas of teaching, you're able to spend the rest of your time being creative. Like, that creativity comes out of you because you have all this free time to share it. So that's one piece. Another piece is I only get to see my students once or twice a week if I'm lucky, which is disappointing, but I gotta do what I gotta do. And there's only so much I can teach within that constraint. 

But with social media and making content, it just- I can make as many videos and I can go, you know- I can show different variations of games that I, I would never get to in my own program, but I can share it. And then the best part of sharing it is like, okay, great, I, I now showed that.[00:10:00] What's next? Now what? Now what? And now I'm creating this huge library of, of activities and tools, and it just helps me grow and learn and, and put... It makes me where in any situation, you throw me into a cafeteria, you throw me into a hallway with 30 kids, I'm able to make it work because I had focused so early on in my, in my career to grow and learn that I have this, this wonderful opportunity to be more creative and, and I use social media as this platform to share it, and it's just been amazing.

Olivia: It is. It's a pollinator. And I wanna offer families some ideas for summer of how the-- what is the top video that you would suggest that they start with? 

Tom: I would say if you, if you're going on The PhysEdZone, uh, and, and Coach Gelardi's YouTube channel, I would look at the dance fitness workouts. Because all you have to do is hit play, and the kids will follow along. And you know, you say [00:11:00] dance, and dance people think, "Oh, I'm, I'm like, you know, my kids aren't dancers." We don't dance right away. I do jumping jacks. I do, uh, running in place. I do arm circles. And, and then I'll incorporate a couple dance moves in between, but it's really more a workout, and it's like an aerobic workout, and it's high energy, and it's a lot of fun.

And once they've done one, you can't look back. I think I have close to 40 to 50 different workouts, uh, that they can share. I, I think my favorite one is, um, I have, I have a Witch Doctor one. I also have, uh, Dance Monkey, where the moves are just fun and the music is fun. And, uh, the kids really get into it. It doesn't matter the age. 

Olivia: Tom, so will you offer families some age-based tips that we can end part two with for the summer’s success? 

Tom: Absolutely. Uh, if you're thinking young kids like, uh, pre-K, first, second, third graders, I find the movement dance [00:12:00] workouts work best for them. Uh, if you put my YouTube channel and just hit play, and you put them in front of the screen and have them follow along, not only will they, their heart rate be up and they're having a lot of fun and smiling guaranteed, they're gonna wanna click to see what the next song is because we ha- I- we have student-friendly songs.

So every song was picked by a, a student in my class, and the kids come up with the moves. And before I make it into a dance video, I make certain that every kid in my school has given me the double thumbs up that this is the way to go.

Olivia: to go. Yeah. That's awesome.

Tom: Um, for the, um, for upper elementary, middle school, and even high school, during COVID, since it was a lockdown, I made my basement as my gymnasium, and you only need a small space. I made about 70 at-home P.E. activities. 

Olivia: That's awesome. 

Tom: So you can use a sock ball or a plastic cup or a towel or just any household item and any sport you can think of. I've done basketball, soccer, [00:13:00] soccer, hockey, volleyball, and, and, you know, we have this one game, I call it, um I think it was, uh, a hot shot basketball where you use a sock ball and you put three in a little bucket, and then you have about 10 to 15 yards away, however far you want, another bucket on a chair as the basket. And then you lay down and you get into a s- you come up as a, doing a sit-up, picking up one soccer ball, sock ball, and you have to throw it into the basket. Now you're doing another sit-up, picking up another sock ball. So now you're doing abdominal strength while working on accuracy, and then you go retrieve all your sock balls and bring it back. And what makes it fun is there's a time limit. You have to see how many points you can get in a minute. 

Olivia: Oh, that's awesome. 

Tom: And each video, I partake in it as well, and it's like, "Well, can you do as many as I can?" Uh- 

Olivia: Ah ... 

Tom: because I give it everything I have. 

Olivia: Challenge on. Yeah. Yeah. 

Tom: And so it's, what I like about giving it everything I [00:14:00] got is that my score is very high, and you have that competitive kid that's almost close to beating me. What are they gonna do? They're gonna wanna play again, and again, and again. 

Olivia: Yes. 

Tom: Um- And, uh, at the end of each video, I'll find ways to modify it either by making the sock ball bigger, maybe bringing the equipment closer, so the, for those students who just, you know, are, are, are not doing as well, there's ways to modify. So the P.E. at home section of my channel is a, is a, has been a huge win for, um- 

Olivia: Oh, awesome ... 

Tom: any rainy days, summer, and you name it. 

Olivia: Tom, I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to have this conversation on a school night. Your kids are asleep at home. Thank you. Um, and just for your dedication to keeping kids moving in general. Uh, and again, I think that the profession of PE teachers, uh, uh, g- the work you do to bring joy into the school building is grossly underestimated, and so I am so glad that we were able to [00:15:00] shine a light on your passion and what you bring to the table and to the school every day. So thank you. 

Tom: Well, I really appreciate that, and thank you. This has been a lot of fun. 

Olivia: Yeah, absolutely. I will tuck links to all of the, your YouTube channel and all the other pieces that you mentioned in the show notes, so people will be able to get in touch with you directly. Take care. 

Tom: Thank you. I hope this was helpful, and you know, thank you. 

Olivia: It was. Of course, of course. Tom Gelardi started with a rainy day, a bake sale, a tripod, and an iPad. Today, he has nearly 15 million views and a library of content that teachers, families, and kids all over the world are using every single day. What I love most about Tom's story is that none of it was calculated. It came from genuine care for his students, for his craft, and for the idea that every child deserves a teacher who sees them, challenges them, [00:16:00] and makes them feel like they belong in the room.

I love his advice for us this summer: put the phone down, start the obstacle course without announcing it, hit play on the Witch Doctor workout, and just see what happens. Movement is joy, and joy, it turns out, is one of the best things you can give a child. I will make sure to tuck a link in the show notes for Tom's PhysEdZone channel. As he recommended, start with the dance fitness workouts. Put it on, step back, and watch what happens. 

And listeners, coming up on Schoolutions next week, we will learn why being good at math was never about being fast. It was always about being curious. We will stay in the summer mindset, but shift to a brand-new subject. Wendy Ward Hoffer, author of All Minds on Mathematics, is joining me to make the case that summer is the most underused math classroom we have, and that the kitchen, the [00:17:00] car, and the dinner table are truly all you need. This conversation is a practical, joyful summer playbook for any adult who wants to help a child grow as a mathematician without a single worksheet in sight.

Schoolutions podcast is created, produced, and edited by me, Olivia Wahl. Thank you to my older son, Benjamin, who created the music playing in the background. You can follow and listen to Schoolutions wherever you get your podcasts or subscribe to never miss an episode and watch on YouTube. Thank you to my guest, Coach Tom Gelardi, for reminding us that you don't need a gym, a field, or a single piece of equipment to raise a child who loves to move. You just need a P.E. teacher willing to share everything he knows, and Tom Gelardi has been doing exactly that for millions of families around the world. Make sure to reach out to me at www.oliviawahl.com to book a coaching session. I would love to be a thought partner to help you [00:18:00] cultivate curious learners who advocate for what they believe in.

Tune in every Monday and Friday for part one and part two of my guest conversations with the best evidence-based, classroom-ready strategies that you can apply right away to better the lives of the children in your care. Your 60-second bite-sized piece of learning from our conversation will be waiting for you on Wednesdays to share. Take care, and thank you for forever getting better with me. See you next week.