**Note: This page is for educational inspiration and is not officially affiliated with National Fitness Day. National Fitness Day is an annual event in the UK, organised by ukactive. For official information and to find events, please visit the ukactive website (www.nationalfitnessday.com).
Understanding National Fitness Day in EYFS & KS1
Get up and get active! National Fitness Day is the UK's biggest annual celebration of physical activity. Organised by ukactive, it takes place on September 24th, 2025. The day aims to highlight the importance of physical activity and encourages people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to embrace exercise for their physical and mental well-being.
For early years settings, nurseries, preschools, childminders, and Year 1 and Year 2 classrooms, this day provides an energetic and highly practical theme for exploring movement, physical health, and well-being. It's about instilling a love for being active, understanding how exercise benefits our bodies, and discovering a wide range of fun ways to move. This day offers fantastic planning ideas and inspiration for engaging activities that truly resonate with young minds, making learning about health and physical development both exhilarating and accessible.
Why Is Teaching About Fitness & Movement Important for Young Children?
Integrating lessons about fitness and movement into your practice with young children (aged 0-7) is vital for fostering their physical development, cognitive function, and overall health. During their early years, movement is fundamental to learning and growth.
Gross Motor Skills: Physical activity develops strength, coordination, balance, and agility.
Fine Motor Skills: Activities like throwing, catching, or manipulating objects during play also refine fine motor control.
Health & Well-being: Regular exercise contributes to healthy bones, muscles, and a strong heart, as well as positive mental health.
Cognitive Development: Movement is intrinsically linked to brain development, improving focus, memory, and problem-solving.
Social Skills: Group games and activities promote teamwork, cooperation, and good sportsmanship.
Energy Release & Sleep: Being active helps children expend energy in a healthy way, which can contribute to better sleep.
Engaging Fitness & Movement Activities for National Fitness Day (0-7 Year Olds)
Make National Fitness Day a truly active and joyous experience with these planning ideas and activities perfect for EYFS and KS1 children. The focus is on moving, laughing, and discovering the fun of exercise! Many of these early years and year 1 activities can be supported by the extensive range of printable resources we have available.
Here's some inspiration for getting everyone moving in your setting: (Please use your own discretion and knowledge of your children to ensure appropriateness of each activity and safety concerning any materials given and activity undertaken.)
Movement Challenge Cards: Use a variety of movement challenge cards to get children trying different actions. We have sets based on a variety of themes such as 'Dinosaurs’, 'Fairies’ 'Jack and the Beanstalk’ and many more!
Exercise & PE Games Sessions: Lead structured exercise sessions using our 'Exercises’, ‘PE Games’ and ‘Sport Skills’ cards.
Animal Dances & Movements: Combine movement with imaginative play using our 'Animal Dance Cards'. Children can pretend to move like different animals.
Sports Day/Olympics Fun: Organise a mini "Sports Day" or "Kids Olympics" with simple races, throwing, and jumping activities. Present 'Kids Olympics'/'Sports Day' - Certificates' to celebrate participation and effort.
Football & Tennis Themed Activities: Dive into popular sports with dedicated activities.
Football: Use the 'Football - Party Pack', 'Football - Design a Football Kit', and 'Football - Design a Flag' for creative expression. Integrate numeracy with 'Football - Numbers 0-20', 'Football - Subitising Flash Cards’, 'Football - Counting & Number Match Puzzles', 'Football - Dice Game', 'Football - Count and Colour', and 'Football - Counting Playdough Mats 1-10'. Practice literacy with 'Football - Alphabet Cards' and 'Football - Writing/Drawing/Mark Making Sheets'. Create displays with 'Football - Bunting', 'Football - Border Sheets’. You can also use 'Football - Football Shirts Colour Match Puzzles'.
Tennis: Similarly, use 'Tennis Ball - Numbers 0-20', 'Tennis Ball - Counting & Number Match Puzzles', 'Tennis Ball - Dice Game', 'Tennis - Count and Colour', and 'Tennis - Counting Playdough Mats 1-10' for numeracy. Encourage mark making with 'Tennis - Writing/Drawing/Mark Making Sheets'. Decorate with 'Tennis - Bunting'.
Mindfulness Colouring (PE Action): For a calm-down activity after movement, use our 'PE Action - Colouring Sheets (Mindfulness)' which depict children being active.
Explore Related Pages: For more extensive ideas, explore our dedicated pages:
These activities offer great inspiration for making National Fitness Day a memorable and impactful experience in your early years and Key Stage One setting, fostering a lifelong appreciation for physical activity, health, and well-being.
To explore ideas surrounding additional early years events, please visit our 'Special Dates Calendar' page.
Printable resources to support teaching & learning surrounding: ‘National Fitness Day’
Additional Pages you may like to explore which cover relevant &/or Connected themes
More Early Years Event Pages for September
Explore special dates (including awareness dates, festivals, celebrations & events) relevant to your EYFS & KS1 children
Browse our ‘Special Dates Calendar’ page using the link below. You’ll find calendars for every month of the year to aid your planning!
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Disclaimer:
This page is for educational purposes only and is intended to support early years and primary practitioners with ideas and resources related to 'National Fitness Day'. We are not officially affiliated with or endorsed by ukactive, the organisation that organises National Fitness Day in the UK. We do not claim any rights to specific trademarks or official materials associated with this day. For official information and to find events, please visit the ukactive website at www.ukactive.com/national-fitness-day.
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