Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Why Exercise Matters Poster: Free Printable Chart for Year 4
- ForYear 4
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Why Exercise Matters Poster is a free printable chart for Year 4 (ages 8 to 9). Children read facts about how moving helps the body and the mind, fill in a table, and name their own favourite activity. It takes about 15 minutes and needs only a pencil.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
The sheet is a chart with two headings: Good for my body and Good for my mind. Children read facts about moving and fill in a table to sort what they learn. There are lines for writing, and children also name their own favourite activity. It is a reading and thinking task done at a table, so it suits quiet time as well as a lesson. A pencil is all they need.
- Good for my body
- Good for my mind
Why talk about exercise in Year 4?
By Year 4, children are old enough to understand that what they do affects how they feel. Physical education in the National Curriculum for England aims to help pupils lead healthy, active lives, and talking about why movement matters is part of that. Children at this age can link an idea to their own experience, such as feeling warm and breathless after a game of tag.
UK guidance for children and young people suggests an average of at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day. That can be spread across the day and includes play, walking to school, dancing and sport. A poster like this helps children see that exercise is not only for sports clubs. It also gives them words to explain how being active makes them feel.
Quick facts about moving
- Your heart is a muscle. It pumps blood around your body all day and night.
- When you run, you breathe faster because your body needs more oxygen.
- Sweating helps cool your body down when you are hot.
- Walking counts as exercise, and so do dancing, scooting and playing tag.
- Warming up before a big game gets your muscles ready to move.
Skills and curriculum link
- Healthy habits
- Reading facts
- Sorting ideas
- Planning
- Writing short notes
Helping children get the most from the facts
- Read aloudRead each fact out loud together. Hearing it helps children who find reading slow, and it gives you a chance to pause and chat.
- Link to real lifeAsk, "When did you last notice that?" A memory from the playground or the park makes a fact easier to remember.
- Sort by headingBefore writing, decide together whether an idea belongs under body or mind. Some ideas may fit both, and that is worth discussing.
- Use their own wordsEncourage short notes in the child's own words rather than copying. Explaining an idea in their own way shows they understand it.
Key words
- ExerciseMoving your body in a way that makes you breathe harder and your muscles work.
- MuscleA part of the body that tightens and relaxes to make you move.
- HeartThe muscle in your chest that pumps blood around your body.
- HabitSomething you do often, so it becomes part of your normal routine.
- MoodHow you feel inside, such as happy, calm or cross.
- ActiveMoving about rather than sitting still.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes for you.
- Set aside about 15 minutes. Read each fact aloud and ask your child when they last noticed it, for example after running around outside.
- Work through the chart together the first time. Talk about each choice before your child writes it down.
- Check the sheet against the notes on page 2, and ask your child to explain their thinking in their own words.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Ask how their body or mood feels after active play, such as after a run or a bike ride. Write their answer in the blank row for them. Then let them copy it, or point to the heading where it belongs.
To stretch confident children
Plan a week of movement. Choose one activity for each day, then note how long it lasted and how you felt afterwards. At the end of the week, look back and decide which activity you enjoyed most.
Make it a game
Movement bingo. One player calls an action, such as hop, stretch or jog on the spot, and everyone does it for thirty seconds. Take turns to be the caller. Make sure there is plenty of clear space.
Talk about it
- What is your favourite way to move, and what makes it fun?
- How do you feel after you have been running about outside?
- Is there a time you felt better after moving than before?
- Which activities can you do on your own, and which need friends?
- What could our family do together that gets everyone moving?
- What is one new activity you would like to try?
Take it off the page
Family walk
Go for a walk and spot things on the way. Talk about how your legs and breathing feel as you go faster or slower.
Make a poster
Fold a piece of paper in half. Draw your favourite activities on one side and how they make you feel on the other.
Stretch and shake
Pick a song and move to it. When it stops, freeze. Then notice how your body feels, and say one word to describe your mood.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first go, then let them lead. This is a reading and talking task, so ask about their own experiences. Fifteen minutes is plenty, and a walk or game afterwards turns the ideas into action.
Teachers
Use it as a starter or plenary in a PE or health lesson, an early finisher task or a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas, which helps with mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Pair it with outdoor play, a walk or a family game. Children can plan their week of movement and look back on it later. Print it again for brothers and sisters, or to revisit in a few weeks.
Where this fits in
Before this sheet, children will have taken part in games and activities in PE and noticed how their bodies feel when they move. They may have talked about warming up, breathing harder and getting tired.
After it, children can plan their own activities, set simple personal goals and explain choices about staying active. Later in Key Stage 2 they build on this by thinking more about teamwork, effort and looking after their health.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Why Exercise Matters Poster for?
It is written for Year 4 (ages 8 to 9), in Key Stage 2. Younger children can do it with help, and older children can use the stretch idea on page 2 to extend their thinking.
- What will children practise?
They practise reading facts, sorting ideas and planning. Children learn why regular movement is good for the body and the mind, and they name their own favourite activity.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 15 minutes. Some children will want to chat about each fact, which is a good thing. You can stop and come back to it another day.
- What if it feels too hard?
Ask your child how their body or mood feels after active play, and write the answer in the blank row for them. Reading the facts aloud together also helps.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or another class.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it works for quiet time, rainy days, school holidays or a calm moment before bed. It gives eyes a rest and gets children talking.
- Can teachers and home educators use it?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. Home educators can use it alone or as part of a wider PE plan. It needs no preparation beyond printing.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.