Run for Fun: why play is central to a youth run club

One of the most important elements of a kids run club is fun. We cannot stress this enough. It may seem obvious, but what does that mean? It means that if you want kids to fall head over heels for the sport we all love so much, you have to think like a kid. It’s imperative to incorporate a variety of games and drills into each practice, in addition to age-appropriate endurance runs. Most kids get bored simply running laps. That’s because it’s monotonous, which makes running feel like work.

As Julia Cameron wrote in one of my favorite creativity books, The Artist’s Way, “Enthusiasm is grounded in play, not work….it is joy not duty, that makes for a lasting bond.” This can be applied to many things in life, especially running. Always remember the joy.

When you have kids fired up running relay races, blazing through obstacle courses, or chasing each other during a rousing game of tag—in between running laps or going on trail running adventures—your athletes will get stronger and fitter, but the workout will feel more like play than work. Play, after all, is what kids are meant to do, right?

The other benefit of adding games and playful drills to your run club is giving kids the opportunity to revel in teamwork, become leaders, practice sportsmanship, navigate occasional conflict-resolution or consequences if anyone tries to bend the rules.

During a typical practice, we usually start with a team talk and warm-ups, followed by a warm-up lap. Then we launch into the fun—drills, relay races, obstacle courses etc. After we set the tone with fun, we then transition into an endurance run, which is typically between 0.5-1.5 miles, depending on the age of the group and where we’re at in the season. Each week we build up a little more. Even during our endurance runs, we incorporate game-like challenges, like Follow the Leader (sprinting, skipping, zig-zagging, stopping and doing power jumps, running to a certain tree or bench, etc). The end of practice almost always includes a game like sharks & minnows, mushroom tag, or red light, green light. Bookending practices with fun energizes kids and ends practices on a high note so they’re excited to come back again and again..

To reiterate, while you may take your running seriously, and you may pour your heart and soul into making your run club seriously great, it’s important to remember that kids will more likely fall in love with running if you don’t make it feel serious. After all, 6-12 year olds have a lifetime ahead of them to be serious.