Minnesota Company Gopher Sport Adapting to Help Parents Keep 50+ Million Kids Active While Schools Are Closed

OWATONNA, Minn., May 6, 2020 (Newswire.com) - ​​​With most schools closed for the remainder of the school year, 50+ million kids are missing out on daily physical education, recess and before/after school activities. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends 60 minutes of physical activity each day for children and most children get that through physical education, recess and sports. Millions of parents are struggling to balance their own work-from-home arrangements while supervising and assisting their children’s remote-learning arrangements. 

Gopher, a 70+-year-old supplier of quality equipment and ideas that PE teachers and coaches use at schools around the country, is adapting to provide parents and families with simple, at-home solutions to ensure kids stay active during the school day. 

“We're parents, too,” said Gopher CEO Todd Jennings. “It's been difficult for us to keep our kids from having too much screen time while schools are closed.”

Gopher is making free resources available for parents who are looking for activities and games to keep their kids active. However, most families do not have physical education equipment at home. To solve that problem, parents can now sign up for an affordable six-week subscription program that delivers a new box of carefully selected equipment (the same equipment students use in school) and 30-50 professionally written activities to do with the equipment each week. All for less than the price of a two-month gym membership or a new video game console.

Each week, a new box arrives that focuses on one physical education topic (Four Square, Jumping/Skipping, Tossing/Catching/Juggling, Sports, Scooters, and Fitness). Written by professional educators, the easy-to-follow instructions mean that kids can immediately start doing the activities themselves in the yard or on the driveway, or parents can join in for “Family Recess” or “Family PE.” After the six weeks, the household has its own assortment of equipment and instruction that compares to a school’s equipment storage closet.

“Home PE can never replace a real PE teacher or coach. They are heroes. But this is a very fun way for kids to stay physically active while schools are closed, and for families to spend more quality time together,” said Gopher CEO Todd Jennings.

For more information or to order, visit www.home-pe.com today to see the six-week subscription program or www.gophersport.com to see free at-home resources.

Supporting video and images of this program are available upon request. 

​Media Contact:
Michael Ewen
Phone: 507-446-5777
Email: [email protected]

Source: Gopher Sport