Knowsley Safari is helping school children across Merseyside to get fit with animal inspired exercise classes.

The ‘Move Like Me’ classes aim to leverage primary school children’s interest in wildlife to get them moving like animals in a fun, physical and educational workshop.

These are part of Knowsley Safari’s Free Roadshows for primary schools in the local community.

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During the classes, children will learn about how different animals eat, hunt, play, hide and sleep, and then replicate each of the movements in an ‘animal aerobics’ style group session. Children will also use animal movements to bring to life an ‘animal adventure’ where they tell a story about an animal’s day in the wild.

Nikki Mallott, Head of Learning and Discovery at Knowsley Safari, comments: “We’ve seen children on Knowsley’s Foot Safari excitedly mimicking animal movements. They’ll be jumping about pretending to pounce like a tiger, stretching to be as tall as a giraffe and flapping their arms as the birds of prey spread their wings. This is what gave us the idea for the ‘Move Like Me’ classes.

“We thought we can harness the children’s wildlife enthusiasm to create a PE lesson with a difference. By focusing on the animals, we’re able to overcome any reluctance the children may have for physical education and encourage them to be really active.”

The classes link to the National Curriculum and will be delivered by experienced members of Knowsley Safari’s Learning and Discovery team, which has helped over 25,000 school children learn about wildlife and conservation during the past 12 months.

Classes will take place in schools, with each lesson suitable for up to 30 children. The classes last for one hour and cover a series of Key Stage 1 and 2 learnings. As well as the ‘animal aerobics’, classes will also feature ‘animal charades’, ‘animal Olympics’ and ‘lifecycle top trumps’, where children will learn about animal life stages and food chains.

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Nikki Mallott concludes: “We’ve trialled the classes during summer school at Knowsley Safari and children have really enjoyed them. This is because the lessons include a range of interactive activities that provide a physical and mental workout in a fun and engaging way.”

Classes are being rolled-out in schools across Merseyside throughout October and will be delivered free-of-charge.

Schools interested in booking the ‘Move Like Me’ lessons can email: learning@knowsley.com.

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