Move Across Missouri is for youth who like to have fun, move their bodies and feel their best!

Physical activity is not only important in overall physical health, but also important to mental health and can improve the quality of life in every child. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children spend 60 minutes per day doing physical activity.

Move Across Missouri is a yearly physical activity challenge in February to April that aims to improve how much you move! In this 12-week program, you can do all your favorite activities, such as walking, biking, yoga, playing outside, working with animals, and many more as well as challenge yourself to try new activities. Anything where you are moving your body counts! Points are earned for each minute that you move and there are opportunities for bonus points. Participate as an individual or be a part of a group. Awards and prizes are included, so join us this year!

4-H Move Across Missouri is sponsored by Healthy Blue
 

Healthy Blue logo

4-H Move Across Missouri begins Feb. 5 and ends April 28!

Sign up

Register on 4-HOnline under the event "Move Across Missouri"

Register as an individual or part of a group. Only the group leader needs to register for a group.

How it works

Upon completion of registration, you will be sent an email with the link to a Google form. Each week you will enter your activity type, minutes moved, and a short 2-3 sentence reflection on your activities through this link. Repeat each week until April 28th. Point totals will be calculated after competition is complete.

Bonus points available each week:

  • 20 points for an additional activity type
  • 10 points for a community service event
  • 5 points for involving someone who is not a part of the program (family, friend, neighbor, etc.)
  • 5 points for tagging the Missouri 4-H social media accounts (Facebook: Missouri 4-H and Instagram: @missouri4h)

Prizes and more

Prizes will be awarded for the top individual in a county, top individual in the state, top group in a county, and top group in the state. Group awards are calculated by the number of points divided by the number of participants in the group. Participation prizes will be awarded to all who participate.

Here are some community service ideas that involve MOVEment:

  • Conduct a bicycle rodeo to help children learn bicycle safety
  • Organize a safe walk to school event
  • Assist an after-school little league or other sports program for younger children
  • Clean yards of neighbors who cannot do it themselves
  • Hold a sports contest
  • Teach others about a sport you enjoy and know a lot about
  • Clean up trash at a community event or county fair
  • Clean up vacant lot
  • Clean an elderly neighbor's driveway and sidewalk after a snowfall
  • Set up a recycling system for your home and participate in your neighborhood curbside recycling pick-up
  • Create a campaign to encourage biking and walking
  • Rake leaves, shovel snow, clean gutters or wash windows for a senior citizen
  • Go for a walk with a senior citizen in your community
  • Hold an afternoon dance for a local nursing home
  • During bad weather, visit seniors to make sure they have everything they need
  • Serve as a coach for a youth sports team

Ideas for 4-H club or group meetings

See instructions for example activities below. They're quick and simple!

And the beat goes on...

Materials: Large room or open space outdoors; music; microphone (optional)

Ask volunteers or 4-Hers to lead dance instructions. Try something new like Latin samba, Russian folk, clogging, Polish Polka, swing, country line, or ballroom dancing. Good instructors will help make sure participants learn proper techniques so they are successful! Dancing is fun and good exercise – participants don't even realize they're working out!

The ABCs of exercise

Materials: None

How do you create every letter in the alphabet using just your body? While participants wiggle, squirm and problem solve, they are also getting good exercise – enhancing flexibility, agility, strength and awareness of their body.

Bounce the ball

Materials: two or three wiffle or ping pong balls; one sheet

You will need at least four people for this game. Each person holds a corner and side of the sheet – stretched taut. Place the balls in the center of the sheet. Participants shake the sheet causing the balls to bounce in the air. The object of the game is to keep the balls bouncing in the air and keep them from bouncing off the sheet onto the floor.

Tunnel time

Materials: None

This activity helps participants stretch out their backs. Participants bend over on all fours (hands and feet) and lift their belly up to the ceiling – hold stomach in as far as possible and round the back. Choose the smallest person in the group to be the "crawler." At the count of "three" the participants will get in position and remain there until the crawler has a chance to go through the tunnel. When the crawler reaches the end, the tunnel can collapse!

Stretch and twist

Materials: None

Participants reach their left hand behind their back, placing it on their right back, hip. Place the other hand on top of their head and gently tilt to the right. They should feel a stretch down the neck and across the upper shoulder. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side. This is a good activity if a group has been sitting for a long period of time.

Stir the soup

Materials: None

Each participant will find a partner to do this stretching activity. Both partners sit on the floor, face to face, with their feet touching in a wide straddle. They reach out and grab each other's writs and move side to side and forward and back. Keep knees straight! Partners can try making circles – small ones and then larger ones as muscles loosen up.